Jefferson City - The following is a joint statement from the Missouri ACLU and the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition on the decision from the Cole County Circuit Court regarding the voter identification restrictions lawsuit:
"Today’s ruling was only on procedural matters and not the legal issue. While the decision from the Cole County Circuit Court is wrong and is contrary to precedent set by Priorities and Weinschenk, we all recognize that this is a procedural pit stop on the way to having the Missouri Supreme Court decide the issue as they have twice before struck down less restrictive requirements.
"Missouri’s Constitution provides all Missourians with the fundamental right to vote. Voter ID restrictions disenfranchise Missourians, particularly people of color, people with disabilities, rural Missourians, voters with limited income, seniors and students. Similar attempts to create unnecessary and burdensome obstacles have been struck down multiple times by the courts over the past decade in a half.
"The ACLU of Missouri and the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition will continue to press the case to get a decision from the Missouri Supreme Court."
