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Ruling in Pennsylvania voter ID case could come Thursday
(Reuters) - A Pennsylvania judge may rule as early as Thursday on whether to block a voter identification law that could influence turnout in a key swing state in the U.S. presidential election.
Lawyers appearing for a second day of hearings on Thursday were asked by Commonwealth Court Judge Robert Simpson earlier this week for suggestions on what kind of injunction to issue should he find voters have less than "liberal access" to the IDs required to vote under the new state law.
Simpson said he planned to rule ahead of the October 2 deadline set by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, which ordered him to reconsider his August decision upholding the law.
The law, which was passed by the Republican-led legislature in May without a single Democratic vote, says that all voters must show either a state driver's license, government employee ID or a state non-driver ID card to vote.
With just six weeks before the tight presidential election on November 6, national attention is focused on the court battle over the law. Supporters of the voter ID law say it is aimed at ensuring that only those legally eligible to vote cast ballots.
Critics say it is designed to keep minority voters, who typically vote Democratic, away from the polls.
The state of Pennsylvania has acknowledged that there has never been a single case of in-person voter fraud, according to court testimony.
Obstacles to obtaining IDs - from two-hour lines to crowded waiting areas with few seats to a lack of parking - were described by the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center, a non-partisan watchdog group, at a press conference on Wednesday.
The group deployed observers this month to Pennsylvania Department of Transportation offices where the free IDs are issued. They found workers instructing those seeking the cost-free cards to apply for a different ID that costs $13.50, said center's executive director Sharon Ward.
One observer said elderly people seeking IDs at one center saw the crowd and left empty-handed.
"Although the Department of State ID was established to make it easier for individuals to obtain an ID, it appears … that there's confusion, that the facts about how to obtain this ID are not well known and PennDOT staff are having some difficulty managing this process," Ward said.
She said the law, passed in March, should be delayed until after the November election because of the problems.
SOURCE: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/27/us-usa-campaign-pennsylvania-idUSBRE88Q0Q820120927
Lawyers appearing for a second day of hearings on Thursday were asked by Commonwealth Court Judge Robert Simpson earlier this week for suggestions on what kind of injunction to issue should he find voters have less than "liberal access" to the IDs required to vote under the new state law.
Simpson said he planned to rule ahead of the October 2 deadline set by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, which ordered him to reconsider his August decision upholding the law.
The law, which was passed by the Republican-led legislature in May without a single Democratic vote, says that all voters must show either a state driver's license, government employee ID or a state non-driver ID card to vote.
With just six weeks before the tight presidential election on November 6, national attention is focused on the court battle over the law. Supporters of the voter ID law say it is aimed at ensuring that only those legally eligible to vote cast ballots.
Critics say it is designed to keep minority voters, who typically vote Democratic, away from the polls.
The state of Pennsylvania has acknowledged that there has never been a single case of in-person voter fraud, according to court testimony.
Obstacles to obtaining IDs - from two-hour lines to crowded waiting areas with few seats to a lack of parking - were described by the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center, a non-partisan watchdog group, at a press conference on Wednesday.
The group deployed observers this month to Pennsylvania Department of Transportation offices where the free IDs are issued. They found workers instructing those seeking the cost-free cards to apply for a different ID that costs $13.50, said center's executive director Sharon Ward.
One observer said elderly people seeking IDs at one center saw the crowd and left empty-handed.
"Although the Department of State ID was established to make it easier for individuals to obtain an ID, it appears … that there's confusion, that the facts about how to obtain this ID are not well known and PennDOT staff are having some difficulty managing this process," Ward said.
She said the law, passed in March, should be delayed until after the November election because of the problems.
SOURCE: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/27/us-usa-campaign-pennsylvania-idUSBRE88Q0Q820120927
My main objection to this is the timing. If they want us to all have voter IDs than make it a law at least a full year prior to an election.
My brother... that's funny.
Naw... thanks for the offer, but I think I'll stay on the Right side of the tracks for the time being.
Naw... thanks for the offer, but I think I'll stay on the Right side of the tracks for the time being.
I think it's double digits now but not in the twenties. It's high enough though and he leads by a significant margin in Ohio as well. Yep el, your brother is going to win again!
It's not to late for you to climb aboard the Obama Victory Express!
Mike
It's not to late for you to climb aboard the Obama Victory Express!
Mike
That's actually a very good point. I think he's up by 20-25 points in PA, right?
So even if this whole voter-ID thing suppresses 15-20% of Democrats in PA, BO is still going to win the state.
So even if this whole voter-ID thing suppresses 15-20% of Democrats in PA, BO is still going to win the state.
At this point it doesn't really matter because even if they manage to suppress some of the democratic vote Romney isn't going to win PA..............or Ohio or Florida or the election of the POTUS.
Go Barack go!
Go Barack go!
This is just comical...
"One observer said elderly people seeking IDs at one center saw the crowd and left..."
So it's not a matter of $$$ or whether or not one can obtain an ID, it's now about not wanting to stand in line.
I have an idea... let's hand out "ID Kits" to everyone in the country (along with 10-15 spares in each kit), and let people make their OWN voter-ID cards.
And since it looks like Democrats are the only ones that have a problem getting ID's, I say we should only give the aforementioned kits to the Left.
Obama will win FOR SURE then, as the Left can make 10-15 different ID's with bogus names, and vote more than once!
Democrat mantra: Vote early. Vote often.
"One observer said elderly people seeking IDs at one center saw the crowd and left..."
So it's not a matter of $$$ or whether or not one can obtain an ID, it's now about not wanting to stand in line.
I have an idea... let's hand out "ID Kits" to everyone in the country (along with 10-15 spares in each kit), and let people make their OWN voter-ID cards.
And since it looks like Democrats are the only ones that have a problem getting ID's, I say we should only give the aforementioned kits to the Left.
Obama will win FOR SURE then, as the Left can make 10-15 different ID's with bogus names, and vote more than once!
Democrat mantra: Vote early. Vote often.
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