FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
Contact: Maggie Duncan
May 19,
2008 (202)
263-1332
www.lwv.org
mduncan@lwv.org
Voters Win: Anti Voter Constitutional
Amendment Dies in Missouri Senate
League of Women Voters:
“Protect, Don’t Deny Voters Their
Rights”
Washington, DC- The Missouri
Legislature ended their legislative session for the year without a vote
on a proposed constitutional amendment that would have required all
citizens to have photo identification and proof of citizenship as a
prerequisite to voting. The bill, HJR 48, was considered one of the most
restrictive Voter ID bills of its kind in the nation. The legislation
would have prevented up to 240,000 Missourians from voting.
“The death of this
bill is the rebirth of hope that all Missouri voters will have their voices heard this November,”
said national League of Women Voters president Mary G. Wilson.
“Thanks to the hard work of the Missouri League, and the efforts
of a broad coalition of organizations, hundreds of thousands of
Missouri voters will be protected from a discriminatory
requirement that would do nothing to actually improve the voting
process.”
“This is a clear signal
to lawmakers nationwide that they should be in the business of
protecting voters and encouraging participation, not denying us our most
fundamental rights,” she concluded.
The League of Women Votershelped
create Missourians for Fair Elections, a coalition of organizations and
individuals that worked diligently to educate the legislators and voters
of Missouri about the negative ramifications of the proposed
constitutional amendment. Because of the coalition’s hard work,
thousands of contacts were made with lawmakers in the past two
weeks.The League joined the AARP, labor organizations, disability advocates and other
community organizations in the effort to ensure
that every citizen’s voting rights were protected by making sure
this bill did not become law.
Missourians for Fair Elections released a statement that included
the following thoughts from individuals that would have been directly
affected by HJR 48:
“I am relieved that I will be
able to vote this fall,” said Lillie Lewis, a St. Louis city
resident, “I’ve been voting in every election since I
can remember, but if I needed my birth certificate, that would be the
end of that. I hope this is the last we hear of this nonsense.”
Lillie Lewis was born in Mississippi, but the state sent her a letter
stating they have no record of her birth.
Birdell Owen, a Missouri residentwho was displaced by hurricane Katrina, also voiced her relief.
“I should be able to participate in my democracy,” she said,
“even if Louisiana can’t get me a copy of my birth
certificate. I’m glad Missouripoliticians had the sense to protect my right to
vote.”
Kathleen Weinschenk, of
Columbia, Missouri, has been fighting to protect her right to vote, and
that of others, since 2006. She has cerebral palsy, and doesn’t
drive because of her disability. Without a birth certificate from
Arkansas, she
cannot get a Missouriphoto ID.
Kathleen is elated that the constitution will not be changed to prohibit
her from voting. “Today, freedom rings,” she
said.
To learn more about the
League’s efforts to protect voters all over the country, visit our
Public Advocacy for Voter Protection project at www.lwv.org/pavp.
###
The
League of Women Voters, a
nonpartisan political organization, encourages informed and active
participation in government, works to increase understanding of major
public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and
advocacy. Membership
in the League is open to men and women of all ages. With more than
88 years of experience and 850 local and state affiliates, the League is
one of
America’s
most trusted grassroots organizations.
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