New voter ID law in effect for November elections

Zoe Jones, St. Joseph News-Press, Mo.
·3 min read
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Oct. 5—Missouri voters now are required to show photo identification to cast a ballot in the upcoming November election.

The law went into effect on Aug. 28, just a few weeks after the state's primaries on Aug. 2.

Buchanan County Clerk Mary Baack-Garvey said that she doesn't believe this new step will impact election day on Nov. 8.

"When I'm out at different polling locations, checking up on them, I see people voting, and the number one thing I see is people getting out is their driver's license," Baack-Garvey said. "So, I mean, I know it could affect a few people, but we are here to help them get that in case they do need a photo ID So it shouldn't have that much of an impact."

Missouri voters will need a government-issued photo ID to vote. Acceptable options are a non-expired Missouri driver's license or a state ID, a non-expired military ID, including a veteran ID card, or a U.S. passport or another form of photo ID issued by the U.S. government or the state of Missouri that is not expired.

The law was created to cut down on potential voter fraud.

Lynn Flora, a Faucett, Missouri, resident said she thinks the new rule is a good one.

"I think it will only be a small step and I don't think it should confuse anyone," Flora said. "I think it's absolutely necessary. You have to show a photo ID to do just about anything, so why not when you vote? And if you don't have a driver's license, you can get a state-issued photo ID without it being a driver's license."

For those who don't have a photo ID, Baack-Garvey wants community members to know that they can still vote.

"There is a provisional ballot option that will allow that person to vote. It goes in its own special envelope," Baack-Garvey said. "If they find their ID on Election Day, they can bring it back to the polling place. The judges will check the ID and their vote will count. Option two is they didn't bring the ID back, but our office will check the signature to what is on the voter registration record to what they signed on the envelope. And we will make the call on whether or not it will count."

Andrew Hamilton, a Missouri Western State University freshman, said he had only heard a little about the law, but he thinks it will be beneficial in the long run.

"I think this can prevent any more future fraudulent voting since," Hamilton said. "I think it'll be a little bit more organized, really more for the fact because you show your ID right then and there and it'll be like a fast process to show your ID, vote for whoever, and then go on from there."

Absentee voting for Buchanan County started on Sept. 27 and will be available up until the day before the election.