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Diaranson 7 october 2020

Missouri court urged to strike down ballot notarization

(AP) — With absentee a privilege that others did not ruled against the plaintiffs.
voting already underway, have. Supporters of the no- Beetem wrote that the evi-
attorneys for civil rights tarization requirement say it dence showed that election
groups urged the Missouri helps deter fraud. authorities provided "a safe
Supreme Court on Tues- Absentee voting began voting experience" during
day to ease requirements Sept. 22 in Missouri. About the August primary and "will
for those concerned about 364,000 absentee ballots have continue to do so in the up-
the coronavirus by allow- been requested so far, al- coming general election."
ing anyone to vote re- ready exceeding the roughly A total of 544 ballots were
motely without needing 305,000 requested during rejected during the August
to notarize their ballots. the 2016 general election, primary for failure to have
according to the secretary of the envelope notarized, ac-
The case brought by the state's office. About 38,500 cording to the secretary of
NAACP and League of Wom- mail-in ballots also have been state's office. Beetem's rul-
en Voters is similar to those requested this year. ings said the notarization re-
being pursued elsewhere, as Missouri is one of nine states quirements did not impose a
voting-rights advocates argue — along with Alabama, Alas- substantial or severe burden
that states should be making problems — to vote absentee adopt a simpler standard: ka, Louisiana, Mississippi, on the right to vote.
it easier for people to vote without having their ballot "Count all ballots this elec- North Carolina, Oklahoma, Sauer pointed to the lower
from home during the pan- envelopes notarized. tion regardless of notariza- South Carolina and Wiscon- court ruling while arguing
demic that has killed more But "during this health crisis, tion." sin — that require voters that there is no reason to be-
than 210,000 in the U.S. the law doesn't do enough While questioning a repre- to have a notary or witness lieve that the General Elec-
Missouri did relax its absen- to protect Missourians' right sentative of the Missouri at- signature along with their tion is unsafe.
tee voting laws and created a to vote," Sophia Lakin, a torney general's office, Su- mailed-in ballots, accord- A Missouri Supreme Court
new option for mail-in voting New York attorney with the preme Court Judge Laura ing to the Brennan Center brief filed on behalf of seven
for the 2020 elections. The American Civil Liberties Denvir Stith asked whether for Justice. Though South doctors specializing in epide-
new laws allow anyone to cast Union, argued to Missouri's there was anything impracti- Carolina's witness require- miology warned that polling
a mail-in ballot, so long as the Supreme Court judges. "Vot- cal about doing so. ment had been suspended, sites "are particularly suscep-
envelope is notarized. A new ers are saddled with a notary State Solicitor General John the U.S. Supreme Court re- tible to virus transmission"
exception to Missouri's ab- requirement that forces them Sauer responded that sus- instated it on Monday while a and said in-person notariza-
sentee voting laws also allows to choose between risking pending the notarization re- lawsuit over it proceeds. tions "undermine the bene-
at-risk people — defined as their health, and those of quirement after thousands of The Missouri case is an ap- fits of absentee voting" by re-
those age 65 and older, living their loved ones, and their people already have request- peal of a decision last month quiring people to come into
in a long-term care facility or right to vote." ed ballots could be confusing by Cole County Circuit close contact with someone
with certain existing health Lakin urged the court to and grant one group of voters Judge Jon Beetem, who they don't know.

Kansas City activists camp at City Hall in police protest

(AP) — Activists who were ple hours, that we are actually by the arrest of Deja Stall-
outraged when a white sticking to this and demand- ings, 25, on Wednesday dur-
Kansas City police offi- ing justice." ing a memorial event at an
cer knelt on the back of The city currently has no east Kansas City intersection
a Black pregnant woman plans to evict the campers, that has been the scene of
during an arrest last week a spokeswoman for Mayor protests and civil rights ac-
have set up camp outside Quinton Lucas said. The city tions for years. It drew atten-
City Hall and say they council will discuss the situ- tion after videos of the arrest
plan to stay until the of- ation at a meeting Thursday. circulated on social media.
ficer and police chief are Several civil rights organiza- Police said officers were
fired. tions have long demanded called to the scene by a busi-
Smith's firing or resignation ness owner who reported
They also want the city to re- and those calls intensified a fight. They said Stallings,
direct 50% of the police de- after clashes between police who is nine months preg-
partment's budget to social and protesters during social nant, interfered when offi-
services aimed at the city's justice demonstrations this cers tried to arrest a man who
Black community. with police and demands that reviewing the arrest to deter- summer sparked by the death refused to leave and she was
The unusual protest entered police Chief Rick Smith be mine if any charges against of George Floyd in Minne- put on the ground when she
its fifth day Tuesday, with fired. the officer are warranted, apolis. resisted arrest. She was is-
about 20 tents on the lawn Several civil rights organiza- and has asked the police de- sued a municipal summons
and a well-organized "peo- tions have long demanded partment to investigate it, a Smith has said he has no in- for hindering an arrest.
ple's city" that includes food, Smith's firing or resignation spokesman for her office said tention of resigning and the Ryan Sorrell, of Black Rain-
sanitation products, an arts and those calls intensified Tuesday. police department has de- bow, said Stallings remains
area, a library of racial injus- after clashes between police An average of 75 to 100 peo- clined to say whether the of- the central focus of the pro-
tice-related books and private and protesters during social ple participate in the protest ficer involved in the arrest is tests but activists also are tired
security. justice demonstrations this every day, said attorney Stacy facing discipline or being in- of city officials not respond-
Anyone who enters the area summer sparked by the death Shaw, one of the primary or- vestigated. ing to complaints about how
is required to undergo coro- of George Floyd in Minne- ganizers. Only 100 people are Shaw said some council police treat the city's Black
navirus-related health checks apolis. allowed on the site at once. members have visited the site community.
and wear a mask, and orga- Smith has said he has no in- "We're at the seat of govern- and expressed support for "We're not going to go any-
nizers are watching closely tention of resigning and the ment and we're having a so- the action. Other than a con- where," Sorrell said. "They
so no alcohol, drugs, sexual police department has de- cial justice occupation that frontation when police tried don't want to arrest us. They
indiscretions or even littering clined to say whether the of- hasn't been seen in Kansas to evict them after the tents don't have the moral authori-
occurs. ficer involved in the arrest is City," Shaw said. "People are were first set up Friday night, ty right now. They're going to
A statue of Abraham Lincoln facing discipline or being in- excited that we are taking the protesters have not had look bad if they do. This is an
is covered with pictures and vestigated. such drastic action and stick- any conflicts with police or organized, peaceful, friendly
names of Black people who Jackson County Prosecutor ing to it. So we're not just city officials. community and they have no
have died in confrontations Jean Peters-Baker's office is here for 15 minutes or a cou- The occupation was sparked legal reason to remove us."