JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Republican candidate for Missouri secretary of state now can gather signatures for an initiative petition to allow lawmakers to require voter identification.

Democratic Secretary of State Jason Kander on Tuesday announced the proposed constitutional amendment can begin circulating.

St. Louis Republican Jay Ashcroft is pushing the initiative petition. It would allow the Legislature to require voters to present photo identification at the polls.

Ashcroft is beginning a tour of Missouri to promote the initiative petition.

Ashcroft 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.

Kander is running for U.S. Senate in 2016. So far there is no Democratic candidate for secretary of state.