<\/strong>Once again, the Missouri legislature is attempting to change election laws by restricting voting to people who can present approved, state-issued photo identification. And, once again, legislators are pretending that photo-voter ID would be \u201cfree.\u201d That\u2019s simply not so.<\/p>\n The latest voter-disenfranchisement bill [Voter Photo Identification, SB 3<\/a><\/em>] flies in the face of a Missouri Supreme Court decision that struck down an almost identical effort in 2006. In that ruling, the court said that the photo-ID law violated the fundamental right to vote as provided by the state constitution.\u00a0Unfortunately, that definitive judicial smackdown has not stopped Missouri lawmakers from trying again.<\/p>\n Under this year\u2019s proposed bill, acceptable forms of photo ID would be limited to:<\/p>\n What\u2019s different here? A lot. The proposed list is considerably shorter and more restrictive than the current \u00a0range of forms of ID that are currently accepted at Missouri polling places<\/a>.<\/p>\n Under current law, you can vote by showing a driver\u2019s license or state ID card from any <\/span>state. You don\u2019t have to have a photo ID: You can use the [non-photo] voter registration card issued by your county election commission. You can bring a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check or other government document that contains your name and address. Or, you can show your [non-photo] student ID from a Missouri college or university\u2014either public or private.<\/p>\n Bottom line, for many Missouri citizens, the proposed voter photo ID bill makes it significantly harder to vote.<\/p>\n Who\u2019s left out?<\/strong><\/p>\n The effect would be to disqualify a large section of the voting public. According to a recent study published by Demos<\/a>:<\/p>\n A photo ID law could disenfranchise hundreds of thousands of Missourians. Two national surveys have found that large numbers of American citizens -disproportionately among certain demographic groups – do not possess a valid, government-issued photo ID, or the required documents for a photo ID (e.g. birth certificate or passport). Secretary Carnahan too has identified as many as 240,000 registered <\/em>Missouri voters – mostly the elderly, disabled, poor and minority voters – who lacked a government-issued photo ID through statewide database-matching in 2008 and 2009. More recently, the Department of Revenue estimated 253,496 registered voters<\/em> in Missouri do not have photo identification on file with the Department of Revenue.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Get out your checkbook, and wait your turn<\/strong><\/p>\n To get a \u201cfree\u201d photo-voter ID in Missouri, a voter would have to jump through a number of bureaucratic hoops\u2014many of which involve fees. Here\u2019s a tally of the costs that could be associated with getting that \u201cfree\u201d ID.<\/p>\n To get a voter-photo ID in Missouri, if you don\u2019t already have one, you would have to present ALL of the following documents that apply to you:<\/p>\n Proof of lawful residence is among the most problematic requirements, as many Americans do not have their birth certificate, passport, or naturalization papers readily at hand.<\/p>\n As reported by Demos,<\/p>\n A national survey conducted by the Opinion Research Corporation<\/a> found that 5.7 percent of the native-born adult population <\/em>does not have a birth certificate or US passport at home. Assuming that this 5.7 percent share is the same in Missouri as in the nation as a whole, an estimated 238,000 Missourians would not be able to obtain the required photo ID to cast a ballot.<\/p>\n\n
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\n Type of proof<\/strong><\/td>\n Document<\/strong><\/td>\n Cost<\/strong><\/td>\n Waiting period?<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Proof of lawful presence<\/td>\n Certified birth certificate<\/td>\n $5 – $30<\/td>\n Up to 10 weeks<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n <\/td>\n Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship<\/td>\n $345<\/a> for replacement copy<\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Proof of lawful identity<\/td>\n Social Security Card<\/td>\n $0, but need birth certificate<\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Proof of residence<\/td>\n Current utility bill or government check with address<\/td>\n $0<\/td>\n –<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Proof of name change [if applicable]<\/td>\n Marriage license, Divorce decree, court order, adoption papers,\u00a0 amended birth certificate<\/td>\n Marriage license: $15Divorce decree: $10<\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n