Voter identification rules explained
By Steve Moyer
Nevada Daily Mail
New voter ID requirements are going to be enforced starting with the November election, Vernon County Clerk Tammi Beach said.
"Everything's the same for August, you can use a driver's license or voter registration card," Beach said. "But things change in November, that's when you're going to have the new requirements."
State Representative Barney Fisher, R-125th District, believes it's his responsibility to ensure voters are aware of the new requirements and issued a joint press release with Beach, outlining the requirements. The release said, "The State believes this new law, the Missouri Voter Protection Act, will safeguard the votes of Missourians and assure elections in our state are as fraud-free as possible.
"The MVPA takes a proactive approach to preventing voter fraud. To ensure the integrity of Missouri elections, this new law requires voters to bring photo identification to their polling place ."
The basic requirement is that voters will have to have a valid photo ID issued by either the federal or Missouri state government.
The official list is:
* A nonexpired or nonexpiring Missouri driver or non-driver license
* A nonexpiring photo ID issued by the Missouri National Guard, the U.S. armed forces or the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs so long as you have been or are a member of the Missouri National Guard or the U.S. armed forces
* A photo ID issued by the United States or by the state of Missouri that has an expiration date but has not expired before the most recent general election.
In addition, Fisher's release said, "MVPA requires the state to provide non-driver licenses to anyone who does not have the required photo identification. The cost for these IDs, normally $11, will be assumed by the state. They will be issued at your local Authorized Fee Agent Office (License Bureau) located at 113 South Main, Nevada.
"A current Missouri driver or non-driver license meets the photo ID requirement and those who have one will not need to obtain anything else.
"To accommodate Mis-sourians physically unable to travel to a contract office, the MVPA requires the Department of Revenue to dispense IDs by way of at least nine mobile units. These vehicles will travel around the state to nursing homes, assisted living facilities and other locations frequented by elderly and disabled Missourians. The Department will provide advance notice of the times and places when the units will be available. You are also welcome to contact either one of us in order to determine or request times when these units will be available.
"MVPA contains a series of exemptions that allow Missourians without photo identification to cast a ballot. First, there are three permanent exemptions. Missourians unable to obtain a photo ID because they are disabled, born on or before January 1, 1941, or have a sincere, religious objection will always be able to cast a provisional ballot. Also, the MVPA provides a grace period so that anyone without a photo ID will be able to cast a provisional ballot until Nov. 1, 2008.
"Provisional ballots are only available during primary and general elections (August and November of even numbered years). They will not be available during other elections. The exemptions and provisional ballots are helpful, especially during this first voting cycle, but after Jan. 1, 2007, you will need to have a photo ID to ensure your access to the ballot box."
The new requirements are just one facet of the changes brought about by legislation.
The Help America Vote Act is a set of reforms passed by the federal government following the 2000 presidential election. HAVA requires each polling place be handicapped accessible and have one accessible voting machine for people with disabilities. It also requires that all voting machines give voters a second chance option, just in case they made a mistake and voted for two or more candidates in a race.
The machines used in elections in Vernon County use paper ballots that are optically scanned at the polling station and have a memory module that is removed after the election and taken to the county clerk's office to total the votes.
"In addition to the accessible voting machines each polling place must be handicapped accessible," Beach said.
The new list of polling places and the voters they serve are: First Baptist Church, 301 E. Highland, Wards I, III and VII; home economics building, Centennial Fairgrounds, Wards II and V; United Methodist Church, 500 S. College, Ward IV; National Guard Armory, 1400 W. Cherry, Ward VI, Ellis precinct; YMCA, 500 W. Highland, Ward VIII, Lone Star and Oak Grove; Milo Fire Barn, Badger and Milo; Sheldon Community Building, Bellamy, Montevallo and Sheldon; Schell City Hall, Blue Mound and Schell City; Bronaugh School, Bronaugh; Vernon County Courthouse, Center outside; Harwood Town Hall, Dederick and Harwood; Deerfield Baptist Church, Deerfield, Richards and Shiloh; Moundville Community Building, Harrison and Moundville; Rinehart Christian Church, Horton, Metz and Stotesbury; York Farms, RR1 Box 235, El Dorado Springs, Virgil; Walker Community Building, Walker.