Missouri attorney general challenges voter ID ruling
UPDATE 11:50 A.M.: The Missouri Attorney General’s Office has filed a notice of appeal in the voter ID case with the state Supreme Court.
Attorney General Josh Hawley’s office filed the notice late Wednesday asking for a stay or a Cole County judge’s ruling striking down parts of Missouri’s voter ID law less than a month before the November general election.
Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft in a statement said his office “appreciates the quick work of the Attorney General’s Office” in appealing the decision, which was issued earlier this week.
Secretary Ashcroft’s Statement on Attorney General’s Filing of Appeal and Emergency Stay: pic.twitter.com/BcY1ciGddC
— Missouri SOS Office (@MissouriSOS) October 11, 2018
ORIGINAL: Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft said Thursday his office is working with the attorney general to appeal a Cole County judge’s ruling striking down parts of the state’s voter ID law.
“The timing of this ruling is unduly creating mass confusion,” Ashcroft said in a statement. “Judge Callahan’s decision directs the STATE not to use the statement; however, local election authorities enforce the statement requirement and so it is not clear if they are bound by the judge’s decision. The Secretary of State is working with the Attorney General’s office to seek a stay and appeal the decision. To be clear, many local election authorities have already trained poll workers – as part of ID Option 2 – to require voters to sign a statement. The judge’s decision creates confusion for voters as well as local election authorities.”
Senior Cole County Judge Richard Callahan ruled Tuesday that voters without a photo ID will no longer have to sign a sworn statement in order to cast a regular ballot. The ruling also prevents the state from advertising that a photo ID is required to vote.
The progressive group Priorities USA brought the lawsuit against the state, saying the law would disenfranchise some voters.
