Voting rights activist Phil Lindsey, Independence, was recently convicted on a charge of disturbing the peace at his local polling place. He has appealed the conviction.

Lindsey was arrested in the August primary after his identification was rejected by election judges and he refused to leave the premises until he could vote. He said judges insisted he show a signature ID if he wanted to cast a vote and they would not accept the forms of ID he gave them – a postcard notification from the election board bearing his name and address and a utility bill. He said he also produced a bank statement. All of the IDs he presented are acceptable forms of ID under Missouri state law.

When Lindsey refused to leave, a 911 call was made by one of the election judges to the Independence Police Department.

Two election judges refuted Lindsey’s charges in court, saying Lindsey only showed a postcard notification from the election board and no other form of ID. Under state election law, a postcard notification alone is insufficient ID. They were represented by Independence City Prosecutor Mitchell Langford.

Langford did not return phone calls. Joseph O’Hara, DeLuccie and O’Hara Law Office in Independence, who represented Lindsey. He was unavailable for comment.

Municipal Court Judge Garry Helm amended the original charge against Lindsey, which read that Lindsey had knowingly caused “a disturbance/disorderly conduct to wit: acts in a violent or tumultuous manner toward another, placing such person(s) in fear of safety by refusing to show proper I.D. when voting."

The amended charge states Lindsey is guilty of disturbing the peace when he interfered with the election judges’ duties.

Judge Helm fined Lindsey $50 and set an appeal bond at $100. Lindsey appealed the conviction.

Lindsey, who had a driver’s license, said he chose not to show it to election judges to prove a point. He said he is concerned that voters who do not have a driver’s license or state ID will not be allowed to vote in the upcoming presidential election.

Lindsey is director of Showmethevote!, a 501c (3) grassroots organization dedicated to voting rights. The group advocates hand-counting paper ballots to protect the integrity of the voting process.