YOUR LETTERS: Voter suppression underway

Several proposals – several – have been introduced in the current session of the Missouri Legislature to limit citizens’ access to the ballot and to the initiative petition process.

Of course, the perennial voter ID proposal has passed the House. I recall interning in Secretary of State Robin Carnahan’s office in 2005, as this proposal was first being considered.

Despite the fact that not one single incident of voter impersonation – not one – ever – has occurred in the State of Missouri, the House, once again, for the umpteenth year in a row, passed a voter ID law.

Other restrictions being proposed in the House include:

• Requiring a $350 filing fee for initiative petitions.
• Increasing the threshold for which constitutional amendments may be passed (two thirds from 51 percent today).
• Increasing to the number of signatures required to propose a statewide ballot measure (to 10 percent in all eight congressional district from current eight percent is six of the eight districts, as is required today).

I voted NO on all of these proposals.

REP. IAN MACKEY
D-St. Louis (87th District)