WASHINGTON, D.C. — Trial begins today in a state-level lawsuit out of Missouri that challenges the state’s recently enacted strict photo ID voting requirement.
In June 2022, Missouri Republicans passed an omnibus voter suppression law that rolled back progress Missouri had made on voting rights. The legislation attacked voting machines, election administration and civic engagement organizations, banned drop boxes and — at issue in today’s trial — created a strict photo ID requirement for both in-person and in-person absentee voting.
Previously, Missouri voters had a swath of options to prove their identity. Voters could not only rely on traditional forms of government issued IDs, like a driver’s license or passport, but they could also utilize secondary IDs, including student IDs, voter registration cards, a copy of utility bills or bank statements.
Since last year’s law went into effect, Missourians are now limited only to an unexpired government-issued photo ID in order to cast a ballot. If voters lack the proper form of ID, their only remaining choice is to cast a provisional ballot that won’t necessarily be counted unless they manage to present a valid ID within the same day, or if their ballot signature is matched with a signature already on file — an error-prone process ripe for over-rejection.
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