Delbert’s Photo ID Bill, the Sequel

After the Missouri Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional Sen. Delbert Scott’s marquee Photo ID to Vote bill from last year, Delbert vowed that he’d be back….and even recently told the Missourinet he’d be back with a good bill that would melt away opposition…

Well, folks, the wait is over. The “new and improved” Delbert Scott photo ID bill is here. Except that it’s not new. Or improved. In fact, it’s not a sequel, it’s a re-run.

That’s right. The 2007 Photo ID to Vote bill is the SAME LANGUAGE as the proposal fervently opposed last year by many legislators, voting rights experts, disability community advocates, county clerks, newspapers throughout the state...and struck down by two courts. Click here for Pete (2006 – see pages 17-20) and Repeat (2007).

Why is Delbert filing the same unconstitutional, controversial bill language that would possibly prevent hundreds of thousands of Missourians – elderly, disabled, and poor – from voting?

• Perhaps it’s in response to the recent post-election report recently issued by the Office of Secretary of State that showed that the 2006 elections were accurate and fair…without any report of double voting -- the kind of fraud a photo ID is meant to prevent. (Then - SOS Matt Blunt also reported fraud-free elections after 2002 and 2004, by the way.)

• Or maybe it’s in response to the editorial column in the Kansas City Star earlier this week that called upon Missouri legislators to make it easier, not harder, to cast a ballot.

• It could be because a recent study by Rutgers and Ohio State University scholars showed that lower voter turnout is seen in states that require ID.

OK, maybe not.

But he’s got to have some reason, right? Delbert should explain why he’s wasting more time and taxpayer money on a proposal that is verbatim the failed, flawed, unnecessary, unconstitutional proposal from last year.