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.
