Missouri Supreme Court: voter photo ID law 'unconstitutional'

Mo. -- The Missouri Supreme Court upheld a lower court's decision to block a key part of the 2016 law.   The law required anyone without a government issued photo ID to sign a sworn statement while presenting another form of ID in order to cast a ballot.   In the <a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/file.jsp?id=148515">5-2 opinion</a>, the Court said the affidavit requirement was misleading and "unconstitutional."   Joan Gentry, with the League of Women Voters of Missouri, says she and the League are elated to hear about the Court's opinion.   "It's been a hardship for a lot of people to fulfill the requirements for that photo ID and our contention, as the League, has always been that there has not been a problem with voter fraud," Gentry said. "This is more voter suppression, making it harder for people to be able to vote when voting should be one of those things that can be the easiest thing we do as a citizen."   Missouri's Secretary of State, Jay Ashcroft, said in a press release that the law strengthened protections at the ballot box.   “The people of Missouri made it clear in November of 2016 that it is reasonable to require a photo ID to vote,” Ashcroft said. “That voter ID law strengthened protections at the ballot box and, just as importantly, expanded access to the ballot ensuring registered voters would no longer be turned away on Election Day.”