Attorney General Hanaway Defends Missouri’s Voter ID Law To Safeguard Election Integrity

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Today, Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway reaffirmed her Office’s commitment to protecting the integrity of Missouri’s elections as her Solicitor General’s team defended the state’s voter-ID law before the Missouri Supreme Court.

“Requiring government-issued photo identification is a commonsense safeguard that strengthens confidence in our elections and ensures every lawful vote is protected,” said Attorney General Hanaway. “Our laws are designed to ensure secure, accurate, and trustworthy elections while maintaining full access for every eligible voter.”

The case centers on House Bill (HB) 1878, Missouri’s voter-ID law, passed in 2022 and currently under review by the Court. HB 1878 requires a government-issued photo ID to vote in person. The law includes multiple protections to ensure accessibility, such as providing access to free non-driver’s licenses, free underlying documents required to obtain an ID, and a provisional-ballot process to ensure registered voters have every opportunity to cast a ballot.  

Under Attorney General Hanaway’s leadership, the State has made clear that voter ID is both constitutional and indispensable to safeguarding Missouri’s elections. Protecting election integrity is a core mission of this Office, and voter ID is one of the most critical tools in advancing that mission.

The Office emphasized that the Missouri Constitution explicitly empowers the legislature to require government-issued photo identification, authority that Missouri’s voter-ID law directly reflects. State election officials testified that impersonation attempts do occur, and that photo ID is among the most reliable and effective tools to stop fraud before it happens. By ensuring that every ballot counted is cast by the voter legally entitled to cast it, Missouri’s voter-ID framework strengthens public trust, protects the accuracy of election results, and reinforces this Office’s unwavering commitment to election integrity.

The Attorney General’s Office is asking the Missouri Supreme Court to uphold Missouri’s voter-ID law and reaffirm the State’s authority to take strong, reasonable steps to protect its elections.

The case is now under review before the Missouri Supreme Court.