Show Your Face

Saying it was her "duty" as chief elections officer for the state, Secretary of State Robin Carnahan kicked off her office's "Show Your Face at the Poll" campaign at the Deer Creek license contract office. Carnahan acknowledged she had opposed the plan but not on the basis of the need for ID. The legislature's rush in implementing the program threatened voter's rights, she said.

The $2.5 campaign is designed to get the word out to voters that they need to have a state-issued photo ID when the come to the polls in November.

"The voting rights of a lot of people are at stake," said Carnahan.

An estimated 200,000 people do not have the proper ID to vote in Missouri.
Of those, however, some are people who can not vote because of mental disability, and some are felons who are prohibited from voting, said Trish Vincent, director of the Department of Revenue.

Carnahan estimated to implement the changes will cost around $22 million, three times what the legislature estimated. Carnahan said they had estimated the DOR and SOS costs, but not the costs to the cities and counties.

Vincent said the DOR is in the process of training employees to operate the mobile ID systems set to go to senior centers. Vincent said they DOR is focused on reaching seniors and others with mobility issues. When asked about providing assistance in low-income areas, Vincent said the legislation specified the help is directed towards seniors and those with mobility issues, not income. Income may be an issue, but most people, even in poorer areas, have access to transportation os some kind.

Carnahan introduced Pastor James Morris, saying his church has, with the help of her office, trained 35 to 40 people in assisting others in obtaining ID's. Morris' church, Lane Tabernacle is at 910 N. Newstead, just North of Delmar Blvd. Morris said they are polling their congregation to find out everyones status and working to get the word out.

State Senator Joan Bray (D-24) and State Rep. Margaret Donnely (D-73) were also in attendance. Bray expressed her displeasure with the ID program and worried that some voters were being steered towards provisional ballots. Carnahan said almost half the provisional ballots were declared invalid.

Donnely expressed her surprise at the number of 18 to 34 year-olds who don't have proper ID. Some of those in her district are students who are staying in St. Louis but hadn't gotten a state ID.

Carnahn said they will start off with direct mail which will begin going out to voters after the August primary, so as not to confuse voters.