My adult daughter with a disability understands that most tasks are going to be harder for her to accomplish. Now she can add one more thing to her list: her fundamental right to vote.
This past summer, the Missouri Legislature passed House Bill 1878. Gov. Mike Parson signed it into law on June 29. Starting with the November general election, the law now requires all registered voters in Missouri to provide a photo ID and repeals the use of mail-in ballots while allowing certain absentee ballots. Missouri student IDs and expired photo IDs will no longer be accepted as a proof of identification. Under the new law, Missouri voters who do not have a valid photo ID would be able to cast a provisional ballot and come back before the polls close on Election Day, with their photo identification.
There are currently two lawsuits filed against the new voter law, listing the state and Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft as defendants, claiming that the new restrictions violate voting rights under the Missouri Constitution.
Denise Lieberman, director and general counsel of the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition, has stated: “The ID restrictions stand to burden thousands of Missouri voters who do not have or will face difficulty getting the limited ID required to cast a regular ballot — disproportionately voters of color, seniors, voters with disabilities, young voters, and low-wage workers.” She added, “We should be working to reduce barriers to participation for these communities, not make it harder to vote.”
My daughter, like many people with disabilities, does not have a driver’s license. Lucky for her, she has parents who can help take her to a licensing office and obtain a state issued nondriver photo identification. But there are many individuals who are not as fortunate.
Lieberman mentioned just a few of the barriers for those with disabilities when speaking with me. For example, licensing offices are usually not open on evenings and weekends, making it difficult for those who work full time during the week to get there. Also, if a person does not have a driver’s license, then that person would likely need to find transportation, which may incur costs as many licensing offices are not along bus routes. For those in rural counties, offices may be far away or at an inconvenient location.
Disability organizations throughout Missouri recognize that there are many individuals who are going to need help with these roadblocks in obtaining photo identification. The Missouri Protection and Advocacy Services is a federally mandated system to protect the legal rights of persons with disabilities through legal-based advocacy. One of Missouri Protection and Advocacy Services’ priorities is voter access, and it has several programs and services to assist in ensuring all persons with disabilities are able to vote.
The Missouri secretary of state’s website gives voters information on how to get a free photo ID and the documents needed to get an ID. Citizens who may need it can complete an online request for help regarding a photo ID.
Finally, the Missouri Governor’s Council on Disability and Missouri Developmental Disabilities Council “encourages voters with disabilities who do not have a photo ID to use the coming months to acquire one, so their views are able to be expressed in upcoming local, state, and national elections.”
The new law is a solution in search of a problem. It is also the consequence of voters continuously being lied to about widespread voter fraud. According to the conservative Heritage Foundation’s website, which tracks cases of voter fraud, there were zero cases in Missouri during any of the 2020 elections. The last recorded episode was back in 2017, when there were three cases. One was for false registration, one was for ineligible voting and one was for ballot petition fraud.
The new law may cause voters, not just the disabled, to be disenfranchised. Thomas Jefferson wrote, “We in America do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.” Americans and Missourians in particular should be wary of those who seek to limit that participation.
My daughter will be ready to vote in November. I hope her fellow voters with disabilities will be ready as well.
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