HCS#2/SB 3 - This act establishes requirements for advance voting and voter photo identification for elections. Advance voting is established in presidential, senatorial, and statewide elections. The period shall begin on the third Saturday immediately preceding an election and end on the Tuesday immediately preceding the election, excluding Sundays.
Election authorities shall establish one advance voting center in each county in the state, or at least one center for every 100,000 residents reasonably distributed throughout such county. The Secretary of State and each election authority shall provide public notice of the advance voting centers and periods.
Costs for advance voting shall be reimbursed from the general revenue of the state by appropriation and no election authority shall conduct advance voting without such appropriation.
The act establishes identification requirements for voting. Voters shall produce a nonexpired Missouri driver's license; a nonexpired or nonexpiring Missouri nondriver's license; any identification containing a photograph issued by the Missouri National Guard, the United States armed forces, or the United States Department of Veterans Affairs; or a document issued by the United States or the state of Missouri containing the name of the voter which substantially conforms to the most recent signature in the individual's voter registration records, a photograph, and an expiration date or if expired, the expiration is after the date of the most recent general election.
Those appearing without identification who are unable to obtain one because of a physical or mental disability, an inability to pay for a document necessary to obtain the required identification, a religious belief against forms of identification or the voter was born before January 1, 1941 shall be allowed to vote a provisional ballot, provided the election authority can verify the identity of the individual by comparing the individual's signature to the signature on file with the election authority.
All voters whose identity cannot be established are allowed to cast a provisional ballot which shall not be counted unless the voter returns and provides proper identification.
All costs incurred by the election authority associated with implementing the new identification requirements shall be reimbursed from the general revenue upon appropriation.
The Secretary of State shall provide advance notice of the identification requirements.
The state, including any license fee office, shall provide at least one form of identification required to vote at no cost to the voter. The state shall provide at least one form of document required to obtain the required identification at no cost to those who do not possess one.
This act is contingent on the passage of a constitutional amendment establishing voter photo identification for elections, advance voting, and voter registration requirements.
This act is similar to SB 1014 (2006), SB 523 (2009), HB 1966 (2010), and SB 84 (2011).
CHRIS HOGERTY