Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft lashed out at a judge who struck down key portions of the state’s voter ID law Tuesday.
Earlier this month, Cole County Circuit Court Judge Richard Callahan tossed out a requirement for voters who don’t present a photo ID to sign an affidavit in order to cast a regular ballot. Friday, the state Supreme Court overturned the state’s emergency motion for a stay. Then yesterday, Callahan ordered Ashcroft’s office to send a copy of his judgment to local election authorities. Ashcroft said Callahan’s latest move guts Missouri’s photo ID law as crafted by the state legislature.
The Republican Secretary of State noted Callahan had struck down a photo ID law in 2006 and said the judge has once again thwarted the clear desire of Missourians to secure their elections. Ashcroft expressed disbelief that Callahan has somehow upheld the current law’s constitutionality but prohibited its enforcement in the upcoming election.
