You’ve seen a lot by the time you’re Rachel Williamson’s age.
“This is my 70th year," she said. "I saw the Little Rock 9 go in, and all the issues that surrounded discriminations during that time. The separate bathrooms, and I saw the struggle of people struggling to vote.”
Wiliamson’s fear is that it’ll be like deja vu on June 1.
That’s why she’s among the dozens who gathered in downtown Kansas City to express displeasure to the new voter ID provisions in Missouri.
Because of legislation passed in 2016, the number of acceptable forms of identification to cast a ballot has gone down.
According to the Missouri Secretary of State, here are acceptable forms of ID:
- Identification issued by the state of Missouri, an agency of the state, or a local election authority of the state
- Identification issued by the United States government or agency thereof
- Identification issued by an institution of higher education, including a university, college, vocational and technical school, located within the state of Missouri
- A copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check or other government document that contains the name and address of the voter
- Driver's license or state identification card issued by another state
Those opposed say, the subtractions will only add more disenfranchised voters.
Missouri State Representative Judy Morgan said she voted against such legislation numerous times before.
“There’s no evidence to support voter impersonation, and I just think this gets in the way of various people like minorities, women, elderly, disabled, going through an extra thing for them to vote,” she said.
But Jackson County Election Board Director Tammy Brown can recall cases of voter fraud in Missouri.
“Yes there is voter fraud. We had one voter. She went in to vote and someone already forged her name and voted in her spot,” Brown said.
She admits the new rules are more stringent, but says her agency is training and will be prepared.
If you don’t have the acceptable forms of I.D. while at the polls, you can cast a provisional ballot.
