Missouri enacts photo voter ID law before November elections

By DAVID A. LIEB
Associated Press

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri Gov. Mike Parson has signed a law enacting a photo identification requirement for voters in advance of the November election. The photo ID requirement will take effect Aug. 28, meaning it won’t be in place for the Aug. 2 primaries. It’s part of a broader elections bill that also will allow two weeks of in-person absentee voting without needing to provide a reason why voters can’t cast ballots on Election Day. The photo ID requirement has long been backed by Republicans while Democrats led a push for the early voting provision. The Missouri law comes as numerous other states also have been either tightening or relaxing their voting requirements.