JEFFERSON CITY (AP) - A Republican candidate for Missouri secretary of state now can gather signatures for a voter identification initiative petition.
Democratic Secretary of State Jason Kander on Tuesday announced the proposed constitutional amendment can begin circulating.
If approved by voters, the petition by St. Louis Republican Jay Ashcroft would amend the state constitution to allow lawmakers to pass a bill requiring voters to bring a photo ID to the polls.
Ashcroft started touring Missouri on Wednesday to promote the initiative petition. He faces fellow Republican state Sen. Will Kraus, of Lee's Summit, in a bid for secretary of state in 2016. Kraus also has introduced measures to place voter ID on the ballot and says he supports the initiative petition.