November 7, 2006

Election Chief Asked for ID at Voting Booth After Helping Secure Law Saying ID Not Necessary

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A zany and troubling story out of Missouri. First, a quick run-down on the issue of voter identification: Democrats in charge of elections usually oppose forcing individuals to show photo ID at the polls because the Democratic base is more likely than the Republican not to have a driver’s license, state ID card, or anything similar. Republicans, for the same reason, favor mandatory voter ID.

Missouri’s Secretary of State Robin Carnahan, a Democrat, thought she had this settled after a state Supreme Court ruling struck down a law that mandated voter ID. Then she went to the polls.

Carnahan was asked three times by a poll worker to show photo ID when she went to cast an absentee ballot Friday. From the AP: “Carnahan said that she tried to explain a photo ID was not necessary, but that the election worker replied that she was instructed to ask for one anyway. Carnahan said she eventually was allowed to vote without displaying a photo identification.”

Said Carnahan: “I’m guessing this may be happening in other parts of the state.” And other parts of the country, no doubt.

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It is astonishingly hard keeping a newsroom afloat these days, and we need to raise $253,000 in online donations quickly, by October 7.

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