Rupp: Many Disappointed By the Governor’s Veto on Voter ID Legislation

You may remember in last week’s column, I discussed SB 3, which would have established requirements for voting and voter photo identification for elections. This bill, on which many lawmakers have worked dutifully, would have been a simple, yet efficient way to target voter fraud in our state. Unfortunately, on June 17, the governor vetoed the legislation. I am very disappointed that the governor didn’t see the importance of this bill. Voting is one of the most important rights we have in this country, and that right should not be watered down by people who are voting illegally and affecting matters that are of the upmost importance to Missourians. The bottom line is that we wanted to make voting simple for the people in our state, while also keeping integrity at our polls.

When the governor vetoed the legislation, he stated that the photo ID requirement would “disproportionately impact senior citizens and persons with disabilities, among others, who are qualified to vote and have been lawfully voting since becoming eligible to do so, but are less likely to have a driver’s license or government-issued photo ID.” In addition, the governor declared that the bill “imposes unnecessary burdens on senior citizens and persons with disabilities, for example, who do not have a government-issued photo ID, with no guarantee that, in the end, their vote will count.” Allow me to explain why several of my colleagues and I disagree with the governor’s statements regarding this bill.

• Senate Bill 3 would have enhanced the election process by cracking down on voter fraud.
• Citizens would not have to present a photo ID until Missouri voters approved the constitutional amendment (SJR 2) allowing it – the constitutional amendment will still be voted on no later than November 2012.
• By vetoing the enabling language in SB 3, voters will be asked to amend the constitution without any knowledge of how that amendment would be enacted through state law.
• Those without a photo ID would have been allowed to cast a provisional ballot as long as their signatures match those on file with the election authority. This would have applied to:
  
  • Missourians born before 1941.
  • Physically and mentally disabled Missourians.
  • Individuals unable to pay for documents needed to obtain a photo ID.
  • Citizens with religious beliefs against photo IDs.
  • Missourians whose license had been confiscated after an arrest or summons.

The bill received a healthy approval rating from the Legislature — the measure passed in the Senate with a vote of 26-7 on Feb. 17, and received the House’s stamp of approval with a vote of 99-52 on May 4. Given this support among lawmakers, I am hoping that the Legislature will vote to override this veto when the Missouri General Assembly meets for veto session in September.

Thank you for reading this legislative column. Please continue to keep up with the governor’s actions on legislation by visiting the Missouri Senate website at www.senate.mo.gov, and clicking on “Governor’s Action on Truly Agreed Bills” under the “Legislation” tab.