Dear Editor,
This letter is in response to the Chuck Smith’s editorial on March 18. 
The League of Women Voters believes that in this time of “tight budget,” spending money on unnecessary items should be forgotten. 
At the very least the proposed voter photo ID bill will cost the state about $1 million. (Missouri’s cost $13 million over three years) 
That does not count the cost of providing free birth certificates to any persons under 150 percent of poverty which is a federal court requirement.
Already, first time voters are required to show a photo identification when they register. 
It would make more sense to change the law that makes it almost impossible to clean up voter registration lists.   A few years ago the law that allowed election offices to remove from the list anyone who didn’t vote in two consecutive general elections was altered to make it necessary for the lists to be purged only by sending a verification letter to the person at the registered address and not hearing back from the registered voter.
I understand that the county election officers gathered up a list of suspected fraudulent voters and in the whole state there were only around 50 for the past seven to 10 years.
This proposed voter ID law will disenfranchise low income, elderly and disabled because they will have to go to extra effort and expense to prove they were born.
Saying older or disabled persons who no longer drive may use their old license. Many times when people are not able to drive, they move to smaller homes or apartment and throw out things they do not need any more.
I urge you to visit with your legislators and let them know that proposed law is not necessary.
Mary Lou Warren,
president
League of Women Voters,
Great Bend