A national progressive organization filed a lawsuit Wednesday against Missouri’s voter ID law on behalf of a 70-year-old Jackson County woman. The suit was filed in Cole County by Priorities USA, a Democratic-aligned group that advocates for voting rights and works to identify “opportunities for progressives to stand up to the Republican agenda,” according to its website. Missouri voters in 2016 approved the voter ID requirement as an amendment to the state’s Constitution by a 26-point margin. But attorneys for Priorities USA argue that it creates undue burdens for voters who lack the required photo identification.
“For voters who are unable to navigate these new and unnecessary procedural hurdles, the path to casting an effective ballot is fraught with uncertainty and unwarranted threats of criminal penalties,” the lawsuit states.
Under the law, people without photo ID may still cast ballots if they sign a sworn statement attesting that they do not possess the required documents.
The lawsuit argues that the required statements, which are signed under penalty of perjury, contain “confusing and threatening provisions that discourage qualified voters from attempting to exercise their right to vote without Photo ID.”
Full Article: Missouri is sued over voter ID law | The Kansas City Star.