Lawsuit Filed to Stop Voter Photo ID Law

A lawsuit has been filed to stop Missouri’s new Voter Photo ID requirement from becoming law on August 28th. Attorney Don Downing has filed the suit in Cole County Circuit Court on behalf of several plaintiffs who say that while a non-drivers license photo identification is free, the documents required to get one of those cost voters. That, he says, constitutes a violation of voting rights. Downing says the current requirement allows people to identify themselves with their voter registration cards or even a utility bill when going to vote. He considers this adequate. Downing says even the Governor, a backer of voter photo ID, had to admit that there was no problem with people fraudulently voting in the last two elections in the state under the old requirements of identification. Downing calls the new requirement a solution in search of a problem. Downing’s lawsuit has the backing of the state Democratic Party.