A new law in Missouri has been called one of the most extreme laws restricting voter registration activity and the distribution of absentee ballot applications. The League of Women Voters of Missouri and the state's NAACP have come together to sue the state of Missouri and Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft over the law.
Marilyn McLeod, president of the League of Women Voters in Missouri joined KMOX to talk about the new law and why these two organizations are suing.
McLeod explained that the organizations are worried that the law stifles free speech and prevents people who are eligible and registered to vote from completing their ballot on election days.
"It has certain requirements that are very vague. And they have criminal penalties, which is really frightening," McLeod said. "If you think about it, since our goal is to empower voters, that some aspects of this would criminalize our work is truly disturbing."
She said the stipulations for registering to vote under the new law are "rigid and unnecessary," especially since Missouri hasn't had a history of problems with voter fraud.
"One of the aspects of this, which is also very concerning is it criminalizes the ability to even suggest to voters that they might want to file an absentee ballot," she asid. "It makes the provision of the application for an absentee ballot an offense."
To hear more about the law and why the two organizations are suing the state, listen to the full interview with Marilyn McLeod of the League of Women Voters.
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