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Health & Fitness

Protecting Free and Fair Elections in Missouri

The right to vote is among the most precious rights enshrined in our Constitution and one that must be protected at all costs. When fraudulent ballots are counted, they devalue legitimate votes and erode the public’s faith in the system.

While voter fraud can be difficult to detect, we do know that some counties have more registered voters than eligible voters. To protect Missourians from such breeches of trust, the Missouri House voted to advance several pieces of voter identification legislation this week.

HJR 47, sponsored by Representative Stanley Cox (R-Sedalia), is a constitutional amendment that would authorize the State of Missouri to enforce voter identification laws. HB 1073, the companion legislation, sponsored by Representative Tony Dugger (R-Hartville), lays out the specific requirements for photo identification. These common-sense anti-fraud measures will protect the integrity of Missouri’s elections without disenfranchising voters.

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Currently, individuals are required to present some form of non-photo identification before casting their ballot. Under HB 1073, valid forms of identification at the polls would include a non-expired Missouri Driver’s license, a Missouri Non-Driver’s License, or a document issued by the US or the state that contains their name, signature, and photograph.

This legislation includes numerous protections to ensure that the photo ID requirement does not inhibit a qualified individual from voting. The state and all fee offices would provide one form of personal ID at no cost to qualified individuals. Individuals that are born before 1949, have a religious objection to photo ID, cannot afford to purchase a photo ID, or have a physical or mental handicap would be able to cast a provisional ballot. He or she would have three days to return and present a valid form of identification in order for their ballot to be counted.

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HJR 47 and HB 1073 passed out of the House of Representative on Thursday and moved to the Senate for consideration.

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