Received this e-mail today from Secretary of State Jason Kander’s (D. MO) U.S. Senate campaign:
This is an undisputed fact: The right to vote is fundamental to our democracy. Yet more and more state legislatures throughout the country are making it harder for Americans to exercise this right.
As Missouri’s Secretary of State and chief elections official, it’s my job to make sure our elections are free and fair. I believe that any measure which disenfranchises even a single eligible voter is wrong.
However, some members of Missouri’s legislature are actually trying to put a measure on the ballot that would amend our state constitution so that voters would need a specific photo ID in order to vote. If passed, it would be one of the strictest voter ID laws in the nation -- potentially disenfranchising 220,000 people.
That’s why today, I’m joining with Senate candidates across the country to defend the Voting Rights Act both here in Missouri and throughout the U.S. Sign our petition to show your support.
The voter ID proposal in Missouri is intended to prevent voter impersonation, which would make sense if we had a problem with it. But there has never been a reported case of voter impersonation in our state.
Nationally, voter fraud is extremely rare. One study found that out of a billion votes cast since 2000, there were only 31 incidents of voter impersonation.
It’s officially an election year, so making sure every voter’s voice is heard is critical. We should be aiming for high voter turnout, not placing an undue burden on people eager to participate in the democratic process.
Add your signature to defend the Voting Rights Act and fight against discriminatory voter ID laws in Missouri and across the country.
Thanks,
Jason
Click here to add your name.