The sponsor of the voter photo-ID law that has been thrown out by the state supreme court still believes the reasons behind his bill are good—although the court says the position is without foundation. The sponsor of the bill, Senator Delbert Scott of Lowry City, says Missouri voters understand there is voter fraud and his bill was enacted to stop it. But the supreme court says parties to the case all admit the law would not have affected absentee ballot fraud or registration fraud… Scott points to efforts in St. Louis and Kansas City to file apparently fraudulent registrations—although election officials in both cities say their procedures under existing laws and policies caught those attempts. But the state supreme court says the identification requirement in his law did not address “any perception of voter fraud with precision, nor is it necessary to solve any existing voter fraud problems. Furthermore, the court says there has been no evidence of voter impersonation fraud in Missouri since the legislature passed a different law four years ago. Scott says he’ll use the court ruling as a guide to writing a new voter photo-ID bill next year.
Secretary of State Worries About Voter Confusion
Missouri’s top state elections official says the state supreme court has done the right thing in throwing out the voter photo-ID law…But she is not against improving voter identification. Secretary of State Robin Carnahan says it just has to be done in a way that is constituational and does not impede access to the ballot box. Carnahan gave no support to the law passed by the legislature this year… She realizes all of the court action…and decisions might have left many citizens puzzled about what they’ll need to vote. She says voters can still use the things they’ve used in the past to prove they are who they say they are–including the regular county-issued registration cards, drivers licenses, and utility bills. Carnahan would not rule out supporting a new voter identification law as long as it does not impede access to the ballot box—which the court says this year’s law would have done. She says Missouri alreayd has some of the strictestI-D requirements in the country…but if there is to be a new system, everybody eligible to have one of the cards should have time to get it.
Missouri Supreme Court tosses Voter Photo ID law
The Missouri Supreme Court has thrown out the law passed by this year’s legislature requiring voters to have photo identification before they can vote. The court has upheld a lower court ruling saying the law violates the equal protection clause of the state constitution and violates the fundamental right to vote guaranteed by the constitution.
The ruling says voters would have to bear an unconstitutional burden to get the identification required to cast a ballot. The court also held that the costs voters would have to incur to get the identification was a “heavy and substantial burden” on the free exercise of suffrage.
The court ruled 6-1 to throw out the law. [Opinion by Missouri Supreme Court]
Hargrove Traded After Going AWOL
Defensive end Anthony Hargrove might have worn out his welcome with the Rams. Hargrove was traded to the Buffalo Bills Monday for a fifth-round draft pick in 2007 after skipping two days of practice.
The third-round pick in 2004 only played in three games for the Rams this season and was inactive during the team’s 30-28 loss to Seattle Sunday. Hargrove should not be dearly missed; he only recorded two tackles and a half-sack this season.
Hargrove lost his starting spot to rookie Victor Adeyanju after going AWOL last month. The Rams fined Hargrove for the not showing up to work and did not allow him to travel to Arizona that week.
High School Football Scores – October 13, 2006
Adrian 42, Osceola 6
Archie 42, Cass Midway 6
Ash Grove 14, Stockton 12
Ava 65, Cabool 32
Belton 42, Grandview (KC) 0
Blair Oaks 41, Eldon 14
Blue Springs South 10, Oak Park 7
Bolivar 28, Branson 0
Bowling Green 12, Van Far 6
Brookfield 49, Scotland County 0
Butler 48, St. Mary’s (KC) 13
California 35, Monroe City 7
Camdenton 28, Hillcrest 14
Cameron 28, Chillicothe 13
Carthage 33, Neosho 16
Carlyle IL 47, Brentwood 14
Cassville 42, East Newton 6
CBC 42, SLUH 7
Christ Prep 28, East Buchanan 24
Clark County 41, Putnam County 12
Clinton 26, Versailles 6
Crystal City 56, Maplewood 34
Dexter 28, Caruthersville 16
East Prairie 38, Portageville 0
Farmington 36, Windsor (Imperial) 7
Fayette 37, MMA 6
Fredericktown 15, Charleston 8
Ft. Osage 54, Hickman Mills 26
Ft. Zumwalt North 35, Cape Central 21
Ft. Zumwalt West 41, Lafayette 0
Gallatin 41, King City 6
Grain Valley 7, Carrollton 0 cancelled due to student death at Carrollton
Glendale 23, West Plains 13
Greenfield 32, McAuley 16
Hannibal 37, Mexico 0
Harrisonville 43, Smith Cotton 7
Hillsboro 35, DeSoto 12
Hogan Prep 6, O’Hara 3
Holden 27, Lone Jack 14
Jefferson City 42, Raymore Peculiar 21
Joplin 49, Parkview 0
Kearney 58, Center 6
Kirkwood idle
Lamar 27, Carl Junction 21
Lee’s Summit 43, Raytown South 7
Lee’s Summit West 37, Liberty 21
Lincoln Prep 20, Central (KC) 6
Louisiana 48, Mark Twain 13
Malden 28, Chaffee 7
Marceline 60, Westran 0
Marionville 19, Fair Grove 13
Marshall 35, Kirksville 0
McDonald County 27, Nevada 24
Mehlville 14, Lindbergh 10
Milan 54, Knox County 6
Miller 62, Jasper 6
Moberly 35, Fulton 0
Montgomery County 33, Winfield 26
Mt. Grove 55, Houston 7
Mt. Vernon 34, Monett 14
North Callaway 44, Southern Boone 6
North Kansas City 28, Truman 21
North Shelby 52, Schuyler County 14
Oak Grove 31, Odessa 28
Oakville 43, Parkway South 7
Orchard Farm 52, Metro East Lutheran IL 0
Osage 47, Warsaw 0
Ozark 43, Willard 14
Palmyra 21, Macon 7
Park Hills Central 22, St. James 15
Park Hill South 38, Winnetonka 0
Parkway Central 28, Eureka 21
Pattonville 42, Ritenour 19
Pembroke Hill 40, University Academy 0
Pierce City 42, Lockwood 19
Platte County 41, St. Joseph Lafayette 6
Plattsburg 21, West Platte 7
Pleasant Hill 20, Higginsville 0
Poplar Bluff 17, Jackson 10
Potosi 41, Festus 14
Rich Hill 21, Appleton City 6
Rock Bridge 48, Hickman 0
Rolla 17, Kickapoo 16 OT
Salem 38, Mt. View Liberty 14
Salisbury 27, Paris 26
Scott City 28, Hayti 19
Seckman 35, Fox 14
Seneca 34, Aurora 7
Smithville 10, Benton (St. Joseph) 8
Southeast 26, Van Horn 22
South Shelby 42, Highland 0
Springfield Catholic 20, Rogersville 0
Springfield Central 16, Reeds Spring 6
St. Joseph Central 21, Park Hill 14
St. Pius X (KC) 40, Warrensburg 0
Strafford 27, Skyline 20
Sullivan 28, Pacific 6
Tarkio 58, Clarinda Academy (IA) 6
Thayer 40, Willow Springs 22
Tipton 54, South Callaway 0
Union 56, Owensville 35
Valle Catholic 35, St. Pius X (Festus) 0
Vianney 29, Howell North 20
Warrenton 42, St. Charles 32
Washington 38, Timberland 7
Waynesville 44, Lebanon 19
Webb City 42, St. Charles West 0
Wellington Napoleon 58, Sweet Springs 12
William Chrisman 25, Raytown 7
