By Sylvia Maria Gross
Kansas City, MO – A Cole County Judge on Thursday struck down the law requiring that Missouri residents show an official photo identification to vote. Circuit Judge Richard Callahan wrote , "For the elderly, the poor, the undereducated or otherwise disadvantaged, the burden can be great if not insurmountable." Governor Matt Blunt said he was disappointed in the ruling, telling the Kansas City Star that the law would combat fraud and help improve Missourians confidence in the elections process. If appealed, the case would go to the Missouri Supreme Court.
The League of Women Voters president Mary Wilson was in Kansas City this week. Missouri is one of six states in which the non-partisan political organization is concentrating efforts to inform voters about candidates and new voting regulations. Wilson says the League is opposed to any new barriers to voting, including the photo ID requirement.