Decision Expected On Pennsylvania’s Voter ID Law

A judge in Pennsylvania is expected to rule this week on whether a new state law requiring voter IDs will stand.

The 10 plaintiffs don’t have the newly required photo IDs and say hundreds of thousands of other voters will be in the same boat. They charge that the Republican-controlled legislature is trying to disenfranchise poor and minority voters who they say are disproportionately affected by the law.

The state’s attorneys first said the law would eliminate fraud, but then, after acknowledging that they weren’t aware of any incidents of in-person voter fraud, instead made the case that Americans need IDs for just about everything.

Both sides are ready to appeal the upcoming decision all the way to the Supreme Court.

Approved IDs Under Pennsylvania’s Voter-Identification Law

A Pennsylvania driver’s license, valid or expired less than 12 months
An ID issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, valid or expired less than 12 months
A valid U.S. passport
An active-duty or retired U.S. military ID, including one for Pennsylvania National Guard members: an indefinite expiration date will be accepted
A valid employee ID issued by federal, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania county or Pennsylvania municipal government
A valid ID issued by a Pennsylvania university, college, seminary, community college or two-year college to students, faculty, employees and alumni.

List from the state of Pennsylvania.

The Morning Call: PA Has A Voter Identity Crisis
The Morning Call: When It Comes To Voter ID, Voters Are Polls Apart
The Morning Call: Lawyers Wrap Up Arguments

Guest:

John Micek, government reporter, Allentown Morning Call

We welcome comments from all of our listeners. Post below. Please stay on topic and be civil. Comments may be moderated by us, but you are solely responsible for the content of your comments.

guest

As a Pennsylvania resident, to hear the State House Speaker Mike Turzai say, “Pass Voter ID Laws to help Mitt Romney win Pennsylvania…DONE” is a clear indication that he and the Republicans as a whole has a goal to disenfranchise voters who will traditionally vote Democrat. It’s dirty politics at its best
http://profile.yahoo.com/LNQUT6OQMJUPPN75AHFHVZJ6YE X

“Pass Voter ID Laws to help Mitt Romney win Pennsylvania…DONE” < disgusting, insidious, completely counterproductive to improving the appalling state of politics.

The statement of a traitor to honesty and American values.
John from SC

Many service men and woman have died for freedoms and the right to vote. Here Republicans throughout the USA are destroying the rights of the poor, elderly and minorities. Republicans in office have taken a sworn oath to perform their job, not to reduce/eliminate rights for political gain. THIS IS WHAT I WOULD SEE IN THIRLD WORLD COUNTRIES.