Pennsylvania passed a law in March requiring all registered voters to show a valid and “acceptable” photo ID before voting. This is one of the strictest voter ID laws in the nation. Voter advocacy groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union and the NAACP, challenged the new requirement and closed their arguments in Commonwealth Court Thursday.
Across the country, 30 states have enacted some type of voter ID reform and it has become a hot button issue in an election year. Pennsylvania is no exception. Supporters say the laws prevent voter fraud; critics say the laws are a political tricks to disenfranchise voters.
Here is a guide to the debate:
What’s the Purpose of the Law?
According to proponents of the law, including State Sen. Daryl Metcalfe (R-12th District) who introduced the Pennsylvania bill, the law is meant to prevent voter fraud.
Who Does it Affect?
In Pennsylvania, nearly 760,000 registered voters, or 9.2 percent of the state's 8.2 million voter base, don't own state-issued ID cards, according to an analysis of state records by the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Locally, here is the county-specific breakdown of voters without a PennDOT ID number in the Greater Philadelphia area:
County Voters Without ID Active Voters Inactive Voters Chester 17,928 22,475 4,547 Delaware 33,130 40,547 7,417 Montgomery 37,645 44,952 7,307 Philadelphia 136,182 186,830 50,648What’s the Controversy?
Those opposing the law say it disproportionately targets the elderly as well as the poor and minorities, who typically vote democratic. Furthermore, critics say that the burden of obtaining an acceptable ID for these people would keep them from voting.
How Rampant is Voter Fraud?
Well, apparently not too much. In a stipulation agreement signed earlier this month, state officials conceded that they had no evidence of prior in-person voter fraud, or even any reason to believe that such crimes would occur with more frequency if a voter ID law wasn't in effect, Huffington Post reports.
In 2007, the New York Times reported it had identified 120 cases of voter fraud nationwide filed by the Justice Department over five years that resulted in 86 convictions.
What Will the Court Challenge Determine?
Since the state stipulates that it has no evidence of voter fraud, the case in front of the Commonwealth Court is to decide whether the law is violates the state constitution, whether state lawmakers have the power to enact such a strict law.
Beyond the court challenge, the U.S. Department of Justice has also launched an investigation into Pennsyvalnia's new voter ID law based on Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act.
What Makes the Issue So Political?
Prior to the 2006 elections, no state required its voters to show government-issued photo ID at the polls (or elsewhere) in order to vote, according to this report by New York University's Brennan Center for Justice. In 2006, Indiana became the first state in the nation to requie ID, and that law was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. And except for Rhode Island, all voter ID legislation has been introduced by Republican-majority legislatures, including Pennsylvania’s.
The Brennan report also notes that since the 2010 mid-term election, when Republicans made big gains, voter ID law became a “major legislative policy.” Democrats say voter ID laws are a political tactic to keep Democratic voters from the polls.
What’s Next?
Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court Judge Robert Simpson plans to issue a ruling on the case the week of Aug. 13. Senior Pennsylvania Deputy Attorney Gen. Patrick Canley, who is defending the law in court, and ACLU legal director Vic Walczak, who is fighting against the law, say they will appeal the decision to the State Supreme Court if they lose.
Local Voices
Adrian Seltzer: “I am not a lawyer, nor do I play one on TV. That being said, I am the majority inspector of elections in Lower Merion 8-2 and having read all 29 pages of HB 934 the voter ID bill suspect I will have to become one to follow the minutia in this unnecessary bill.”
Harvey Glickman: “In one sense the history of elections in the USA has recorded a march to an expansion of the electorate...Nevertheless, two elements of voting have resisted this march toward greater inclusiveness: the shape of the districts in which we cast our ballots for our national and state representatives, and the obstacles we place in the way of physically getting to the polls on election day.”
What do you think? Let us know in the comments are below.
No hanky panky at the polls you say? Federal Court finds Obama appointees interfered with New Black Panther prosecution http://washingtonexaminer.com/federal-court-finds-obama-appointees-interfered-with-new-black-panther-prosecution/article/2503500 "The New Black Panthers case stems from a Election Day 2008 incident where two members of the New Black Panther Party were filmed outside a polling place intimidating voters and poll watchers by brandishing a billy club. Justice Department lawyers investigated the case, filed charges, and when the Panthers failed to respond, a federal court in Philadelphia entered a “default” against all the Panthers defendants. But after Obama was sworn in, the Justice Department reversed course, dismissed charges against three of the defendants, and let the fourth off with a narrowly tailored restraining order." The old saying here in Philly, "vote early and often", didn't come about for naught.
When I lived in Delaware County I always had to show my ID to vote. I thought everyone did until I moved to Chester County. These days I have to show ID when I cash a check, go to the doctor, rent a car and sometimes even when I use my credit card. In fact, I even have to show ID to use my membership at Longwood Gardens. Why aren't you picking on Longwood Gardens? If even Longwood Gardens expects members to show their ID along with their membership card, what's the problem with the state doing the same? And if it's important enough to vote, check and make sure you are properly registered, If you aren't, serious voters still have almost three months fix it. Showing a photo ID when exercising the most basic right of citizenship is a no-brainer.
1. A Valid ID is not just an drivers license which is not expired, but one that has your current home address on it. 2. According to the Nebraska DMV up to 130,000 of Nebraskans do not have a valid ID for various reasons including change of of address. 3. A vast majority of those affected by voter ID requirements are youth and low income voters, the most mobile segments of society. 4. The cost to obtain a valid ID to vote will be $26.00 every time you move. 5. An estimated 485,569 Nebraskans do not have access to a DMV open five days a week. 6. Voter ID laws will affect 80,763 elderly and homebound Nebraskans who are unable to make it to the DMV to get proper identification to vote. 7. Rural Nebraska is adversely affected by Voter ID laws in that the local DMV office further away and a vast majority are not open the entire week. 8. Voter ID only protects against voter impersonation. The rarest form of voter fraud in the nation. The introducer of the legislation and Nebraska Deputy Secretary of State both testified voter impersonation is not a problem. source :Nebraskans for Civic Reform (NCR) is a non-partisan, non-profit organization. NCR's Board of Directors consists of both Republicans and Democrats.
- to get food stamps, - apply for government rent assistance, - applying to a local, state or federal government to hold a protest or rally, - to walk through the front door of the US Justice Department, - to tour the White House, - to cash a check at a bank (unless the teller knows you), - go through security at an airport (fly on a plane), - enter Busch Gardens in Florida, - purchase alcohol (many places have a 'card everyone' policy), - purchase a gun, - purchase tobacco products (if you look under 27 or younger), - apply for a loan, - open a bank account at a new bank, - get a marriage license, - get or renew a drivers license, - get a mortgage, - rent an apartment, - go to the emergency room, - apply for life insurance, - begin a new job, - check into a hotel/motel room, - rent a car, - initial registration of an automobile, - purchasing OTC medicine that contains pseudo-ephedrine, - serving jury duty, - entering a military base, - applying for a passport, - - - ....add more.....
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyphillipserb/2012/03/26/taxpayers-spend-millions-on-new-voter-id-laws/2/ FWIW, Corbett budgeted $1 million for implementation of the law. That doesn't even cover the cost of printing the necessary IDs. Bottom line: Corbett has no problem deficit spending $10 million dollars to solve a problem that doesn't exist as long as it furthers the partisan Republican agenda.
“I’ll have those niggers voting Democratic for the next 200 years” Lyndon B. Johnson So far, his plan is working.
I also am a Judge of Election and, like you, am concerned about the unintended consequences this law may have on poll workers. Therefore, I filed this amicus brief last week in the suit challenging the law to bring these issues to the Court's attention: https://docs.google.com/open?id=0Bz-1YRHzEOsqdFVROExOWHhtMms
By the way....my list includes the Constitutionally protected right to peacefully gather for a protest or rally (1st Amendment) in traditional public forums....and, depending on the location of the protest / rally, the Fed, States, Cities &/or Towns require an ID in order to submit a permit application for the protest / rally.
Regarding gun laws, IDs could be considered an infringement, but the courts no doubt have already addressed this. The interesting parallel is that the Second Amendment's "shall not be infringed" is very similar to the language in Pennsylvania's voting provision. But to show how complicated all this is and how the courts shouldn't be second guessed, here's the U.S. Supreme Court's Indiana ruling: http://www.scotusblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/07-21.pdf. Thanks for the thoughtful reply.
The Washington Examiner is owned by the 34th richest man in the world Phillip Anshultz. Like Rupert Murdoch who uses his fortune to control a vast right wing media empire (including Fox News) to create animosity between the Middle Class and those hoping to join the Middle Class, Mr. Anshultz understands that if the middle and the bottom can come together the top will fall (meaning they will lose their ownership of Congress and have to pay their fair share of taxes)l. The middle and lower income scales make up the 99% and the 1% will do anything in its power to keep them at each other’s throats. Just look at the latest “1percenter” ad trying to sway middle-class Dem’s and Independents that Obama just gutted the work requirement of Clintons Welfare reform. It’s BS, total, 100%, unadulterated BS. Just like the creation of your Black Panther controversy see: http://crooksandliars.com/karoli/conservative-bush-appointee-new-black-panth The reality of Obama’s recent Welfare change is that it was requested by Republican Governors (Romney himself as Gov signed a petition asking for it back in 05) and it gives the states more flexibility and IN NO WAY weaken or undercut welfare reform.
The system works. The state of PA AGREES that there is NO VOTER FRAUD in PA. yet these self-same de-regulation “anti-government”, “anti-deficit”, bought and paid for Republican politicians are more than happy (in this instance) to enlarge the bureaucracy, add another regulation and increase spending on a problem they KNOW DOES NOT EXIST. How can anyone who is not entirely brain-dead miss what is the real point of this new law. They even ADMITTED it F.C.S To quote Bill Star "At a June GOP rally, House Majority Leader Mike Turzai sparked outrage among voting-rights proponents when he trumpeted the new law as an accomplishment that would pay political dividends to the Republican nominee. "Voter ID, which is going to allow Gov. Romney to win the state of Pennsylvania: done," Turzai said, eliciting cheers from the partisan crowd." http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57487130-503544/despite-polls-romney-camp-sees-opportunity-in-pa/
You could not imagine a more blatant abuse of authority than what is going on in the swing state of Ohio. Expanded voting hours in Republican counties restricted hours in Democrat counties. NO Really, read it again. The R’s in charge have voted to allow their registered voters to vote over a multi-day period while the D’s will be restricted in the hours that they can get out to support their candidates. Are you KIDDING me!!! And we Pennsylvanians have a comment thread over 58 deep arguing over whether the Republican law to limit voting by those who are most likely to vote Democrat is really about protection from voter fraud. http://bit.ly/NdmYyq On another note Ann Coulter just let the cat out of the bag with regard to the fantasy that Hannity is on a channel that is “Fair and Balanced” when she said “there is no point in your doing your show” if Romney surrogates are going to say things that kill his chance of being elected. Check my Twitter feed later for link to video @roxntreez