Many states in the union have been implementing a variety of voter laws. Some of them have been good and helpful in preserving our country, while others have not been.
California, for example, is one state that has not done well. One of the things that they did was make mail-in ballots a permanent fixture for voting anytime for any reason. This just makes it much easier to do some shady business.
A federal judge recently had to strike down New York City’s attempt to allow noncitizens the right to vote in our elections.
But one state just raised the bar on preserving our election system and that state is Missouri.
Missouri Governor Mike Parson reformed state election laws on Wednesday by banning mail-in ballots and requiring all registered voters to show a photo ID in order to cast a ballot.
In a push to “strengthen election processes and voter confidence,” Parson signed House Bill 1878 into law, saying although Missouri has conducted “free, fair, and secure elections” in 2020 and prior elections, state officials want to remain that way in the face of “changing technologies and new emerging threats.”
“[The bill] strengthens our election processes and gives Missourians confidence that their voices are being accurately and securely recorded at the ballot box,” Parson said in a statement
Voter ID requirements, a measure Missouri Republicans have pined for nearly two decades only to have the courts strike down their efforts ruling them unconstitutional, finally made their way through the system. The law now requires government-issued photo IDs to cast ballots. However, those without one can cast a provisional vote only if the voter returns later that day with a proper ID for signature verification by election officials.
Missouri’s new law also modified several other rules on how the state conducts its elections, like opening a two-week window for voters to cast absentee ballots without citing an excuse why they can’t vote on Election Day. In addition, it prohibits local election authorities from accepting private donations — except for personal protective equipment, food, and water.
There is still a lot that could be done to improve our election process, but I have no idea how we would really make it happen. However, in the states that have put in place these new laws, I’m definitely interested in seeing what the results will be and how they compare to previous elections.