Republican state Reps. Torren Ecker (R-Adams/Cumberland) and Thomas Kutz (R-Cumberland) will introduce legislation amending the Pennsylvania Constitution to require voters to provide valid identification in order to vote in an election.
This measure, which was approved last session, would be placed on the ballot as a proposed amendment if passed again this session. This would provide voters with the ultimate say in deciding whether or not identification should be required in each election.
Kutz and Ecker have circulated a co-sponsorship memo to obtain bipartisan support of the legislation they intend to soon introduce.
“Every eligible person should have the right to vote and be able to exercise that right freely and with confidence that his or her vote counts,” said Kutz, a freshman in the chamber. “Eligibility needs to be established, however, through identification, which is not unlike the ID cards we need to show at a doctor’s office, a bank, or even a library.”
“Pennsylvanians overwhelmingly support and want voter identification, and they should have the right to vote to add this measure to the Pennsylvania Constitution,” Ecker said.
The Legislature approved language for a potential constitutional amendment in its 2021-22 Session. If the identical language is passed again in the 2023-24 session, as is planned by Kutz and Ecker, the question of ID would be placed on ballots for voters to decide if the State Constitution should be amended.
The proposed amendment would allow for both photo and non-photo options to be on the list of acceptable forms of voter ID.
Kutz and Ecker said they support making ID cards free to those who cannot otherwise afford them.
The pair did cite a June 2021 poll by the Center for Opinion Research at Franklin & Marshall College that found that a large majority of Pennsylvania voters support strengthening the state’s voter ID requirements. According to the poll cited by Kutz and Ecker, 74 percent of respondents agree voters should be required to show ID at the polls.
Another F&M poll in May 2022 found that just 26 percent said the one change they would like to see to Pennsylvania’s elections is voter ID. And in August 2020, when posed with the same question, only one percent of respondents said showing ID should be a change made by the legislature.
“Voter ID laws are a waste of taxpayer dollars,” said state Sen. Amanda Cappelletti (D-Delaware/Montgomery). “Voter ID laws are known tactics that suppress votes and make it harder for people to access ballots.” She noted that working people, poor people, and people of color disproportionately have difficulty obtaining government IDs.
A total of 35 states have laws requesting or requiring voters to show some form of identification at the polls.
The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) says “proponents see increasing requirements for identification as a way to prevent in-person voter impersonation and increase public confidence in the election process. Opponents say there is little fraud of this kind, and the burden on voters unduly restricts the right to vote and imposes unnecessary costs and administrative burdens on elections administrators.”
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6 Responses
I am baffled more dumbfounded by the statement-making it hard for those who don’t have a valid state Id to vote. Students have Ids, elderly are required to have Ids for banking, housing, insurance, etc. A legal citizen would have an Id and therefore can utilize their constitutional right to vote. To state that the majority would not be able to vote is questionable -What majority? Those that can’t be tracked? If they can’t be tracked then they most definitely are unable to receive benefits from the state as well as offer any help towards or against any political agendas. Stop making excuses to hide corruption!
The problem with this Voter ID law is that the Republicans, really the “Trump-Putin-Anon Party,” are bundling it into one ballot Constitutional question for the Primary in 2023 along with banning drop boxes, banning abortion and other un-democratic, un-Constitution. With lower voter turnout in Primaries, even though Constitutional Amendments on the ballot usually pass, That is why the Republicans are trying to by-pass the Governor’s veto by putting them as these Constitutional Amendments on the Primary Ballot. Now they bundle them, as a sort of “omni-bus bill” that can’t be separated out into individual amendments. It is take the whole question or not. That is unfair, un-Constitutional and un-democratic with a small d. If they want a Voter ID fine, but make it as separate amendment and the government by the taxpayers as a whole, not the individual citizen voter should pay for it. Otherwise it is a Poll Tax. This is not a drivers license, this is a Constitutional right and responsibility as a citizen. Requiring individual citizens to purchase a Voter ID is an “unfunded mandate,” and “burdensome regulation.”
Makes it harder to cheat! I want only LEGAL AMERICAN CITIZENS to vote! Pa is flooded with undocumented people that should be thrown the hell OUT! Plus in person voting! No machines! It’s totally unacceptable what’s been happening in this state!
We now use paper ballots that are scanned by a machine, then the ballot is deposited in a secure bin under each ballot counting machine if needed for further reference. These machines are carefully checked for accuracy before every election. The number of votes cast are available for all to see, and that count is double checked every hour by election workers (number of ballots given to voter’s vs number of ballots scanned by the machine) these machines are extremely accurate. Also, there are audits done after the election to check the results. If there is an error found it is almost always with the person doing the audit. If you wish to find out more about this, I encourage you to contact your local board of elections. If you wish to witness any of these procedures, most County board of elections will welcome you. or you can volunteer to be a poll worker
Right on!
Your allegations have no support , cite your sources. Why don’t you get involved and become a poll worker .