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Decision Expected On Pennsylvania's Voter ID Law
ResumeA 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
This segment aired on August 13, 2012.