The state’s Voter ID law may be the defining issue of this year’s elections – and it is not necessarily a campaign issue.
Voter ID matters because of what its critics say: that fewer people will be voting come November because they won’t have an ID.
The topic is something PoliticsPA has written extensively on.
The law was controversial from the start, but the fight intensified after we broke the story on House Majority Leader Mike Turzai’s (R-Allegheny) now-infamous gaffe that Voter ID will “allow” Romney to win Pennsylvania.
Corbett’s administration has been put through the wringer ever since.
The state tried to ease the burden by creating their own form of ID that requires fewer documents, but opponents like the ACLU and AFL-CIO fought back hard, releasing data that showed far more people than expected did not have and probably could not get an ID in time for the election, no matter how many restrictions are eased.
And then there’s Secretary of State Carol Aichele, who earned a down from us last week after she testified that she doesn’t know “what the law says.” That’s a pretty big “oops” moment.
But proponents of the law hold tightly to their convictions, as well. They say that not only does fraud exist, but that the burden of obtaining an ID is not that heavy and should be taken on by those who truly care about the right to cast their ballot this November.
Closing arguments have been made and a decision is expected soon.
And while Judge Simpson is not likely to have the final say on Voter ID, we ask you, readers:
How will Commonwealth Court Judge Robert Simpson rule on Voter ID?
- Strike it down. (69%)
- Uphold it entirely. (31%)
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17 Responses
I still haven’t figured out how people live without some form of ID. Even if you exclude driving, I need an ID at least twice a week for something.
I find it unbelievable and so ridiculous that we live in a state where the Republicans managed to win both the House and Senate and the Governor’s office, but are still saying voter fraud is an issue. If voter fraud was an issue, how did Republicans manage to get the entire state government under their control, despite the larger Democratic party registration edge?
Plus there is Al Schmidt’s troubling report of endemic Philly voter fraud, which no one in the press appears to have read, the only way you could claim there “is no evidence of vote fraud.”
Philly was ground zero of the whole ACORN scandal. Be honest, Democrats. Win clean. You have faith in your ideas, right? Obama did win on ideas, right? It wasn’t that he paid ACORN to put in fake registrations so that Dem machine cities would stuff the ballot box, or anything, it was the “hope and change,” right?
Then you have nothing to fear from a clean election using photo IDs, just like you were getting a beer in a bar.
It’s been hard to discern the legal matter at issue in the hysterical coverage by a Democrat-favoring press, but if those issues are that it disenfranchises to require photo ID, that issue will lose.
Just because minorities may not have a PennDOT ID doesn’t mean it is racially discriminatory to expect that people get a photo ID there or where allowed by the law.
I think the press gets that, which explains the barking shrieks of outrage approach in the press on this issues.
ACORN was verified voter fraud. Voter registration fraud is a form of voter fraud. ACORN didn’t register millions of fake voters so they would never fake vote.
Sorry, but that more than explains the need for these laws nationwide. Obama gave $800,000 to ACORN in the last election. Why did he complain and try to get his money back when it was exposed that ACORN was registered fake voters en masse? They were fake, so he got ripped off right?
Or ACORN delivered what the Democrats needed in all Dem urban machine cities. Which is it?
Any Dem that can’t be honest about ACORN loses all credibility on the issue of photo ID.
the only good argument i see in dave’s endless screed, is one tht would limit the length of posts to some reasonable size
Dave, your propaganda makes me want to vomit. It is people who write things like you just wrote who are going to destroy this country.
COMMIT YOUR VOTE TO THE TEA PARTY CANDIDATES?
Citizens of the Republic, never Give Up. Never submit. It is time to join the resistance—THE TEA PARTY. Obama is building his empire on the tireless backs of the American people! Obama, “America’s President” will stop at nothing to execute his plan of creating a socialist nation, grabbing your guns, your money and your freedoms! Families are suffocating under the weight of the failed policies of the Obama government. Unemployment is sky-high—over 8% for 40 straight months. Jobs are disappearing. People have given up looking for employment. Yet, with all this bad news “America’s President” demands even more taxes, while given free passes to illegal aliens. To worsen an unfavorable state of affairs Obama’s Liberal Progressives want to grab your guns again, too! This adds up to one thing: ATTACKING YOUR LIBERTIES! Obama will stop at nothing to carry out his sinister agenda. See for yourself: Obama regime seems to demanding our guns that we need for our protection, also our wallets and liberties.
Obama is becoming as any potentate, found in Middle Eastern countries or in South America. He seems to be under the impression that American people will quietly surrender this administration intrusion, sit by silently and watch fellow citizens as Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpiao verbally assassinated because he enforced the Arizona state law, in name of the greater good for the greatest number. If from the beginning of the 1986 Simpson-Mazzoli immigration bill, the laws towards dishonest business owners, a true enforced fence, and the private prison facilities would unlikely exist as they do now. BUT WE HAVE BEEN SILENTLY INVADED, BY CRIMINALS OF EVERY NATURE AND WE MUST REMOVE THEM ALL? BREAKING IMMIGRATION LAWS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN AWARD; PARENTS WHO BROUGHT THEIR CHILDREN HERE CAN STILL BE ARRESTED AND DEPORTED?
IN OBAMA’S DREAM ACT—there will be so much fraud, just as it existed in the great Ronald Reagan amnesty of 1986. You mark my words processing will be next to nothing and my guess hundreds will counterfeit documents leading to more illegal aliens encouraged to slip through a border that is open for hundreds of miles in either direction.
America’s oh-so-inept Commander in Chief will use any method to augment the tax load on the American people. His goal: the redistribution of prosperity. By not approving the Bush Tax Cuts, taxes increase. Once again, this is nothing more than a “Tax and Spend” Scheme. His redistribution of wealth will go to the voters who have no intentions of finding a job and never will. These are the rapists of the welfare systems, who prefer to stay a government umbrella of sponsored housing, living of taxpayers. Steve Eichler, CEO of TeaParty dot org, a massive growing network of millions of ordinarily citizens and legal residents who have come together to battle both the Democrats and Republicans and opening up chapters across America; as if a third party. The political masters have a fix so it is almost impossible for a third party to be elected; henceforth the TEA PARTY. The TEA PARTY will gain ground within the Republican Party and thereby presenting their influence through oncoming elections.
We have seen downplay of both political parties, the media of the unseating of Indiana Senator Richard Lugar to by a Tea Party leader Senate nominee Richard Mourdock, then just this week And now TEA PARTY favorite Ted Cruz (R) took out Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, for the outgoing seat of Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. Yet another Republican has bitten the dust, replaced a true TEA PARTY supporter. Both hard core Democrats and the Republicans should be very uneasy, very apprehensive indeed about incumbent politicians who despairingly are lost for words TEA PARTY growth? The TEA PARTY, which backs Ted Cruz, stated that the race is a premonition for the country. Seems to me that ordinary Americans have seen an alternative to both political parties in the TEA PARTY ranks?
In another congressional primary, Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Petri, who has served in Congress for more than 30 years, faces TEA PARTY challenger Lauren Stephens, who has raised only $6,000 and is running a low-profile campaign. Ted Cruz didn’t have a huge campaign chest of money, but he still beat Dewhurst who provided millions of dollars of our own money. This would be a good time for every TEA PARTY members to stand with Stephens and other TEA PARTY leaders to stand firm against Petri. On her webpage, she proposes eliminating the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) because of ineptitude and costs, enforcing policies against illegal immigration and making the nation’s official language English. She has stated “Having an official language is makes common sense and builds common ground.” Then congressman and current U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack need the backing of every Tea Party voters. But even Steve King who is a strict illegal alien enforcer has just as strong habits in a challenge to any Liberal Progressive.
In Wisconsin next week Businessman Eric Hovde, is running his first race, charging that former Gov. Tommy Thompson isn’t a true conservative. Former U.S. Rep. Mark Neumann, a home builder and former congressman casts himself as the most conservative candidate, and is looking for support from the TEA PARTY. Then State Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald has slipped in raising money, but hopes voters remember his role in passing the conservative ideology in the Legislature.
The most dangerous personage in the Democratic Senate is the toxic tongue of Harry Reid of Nevada. Then you have to remember that Nevada has been flooded with illegal aliens and so this ancient Democrat is pandering with utmost zeal to all none citizens. He has derailed cloture in numerous laws, such as the enforcement immigration policies. We need to crowd as many new TEA PARTY members inside the Senate, to stifle the Liberal-Democrats and extract them from their seats of power.
LOOK AROUND YOU AND SEE WHAT EITHER THE DEMOCRATS OR REPUBLICANS HAVE DONE FOR THIS COUNTRY? Instead of voting for the same old incumbents or even new faces that are representing either party, investigate who is your local, state or federal TEA PARTY candidate?
If I told you 5 years ago that America would elect a man who did the following, you would have called me extreme. Read the short list and then tell me I’m nuts: Kowtows to foreign dictators; Promises Russia (not America) he can do more when he is elected; Pushing the United Nations to grab our guns; Creating the biggest “Tax And Spend Plan” (ObamaCare) in America history for freeloaders; Highest unemployment since the October 1929 Wall Street crash; Denies self-esteem to small business owners, claiming they didn’t build their own business?
It is becoming excruciatingly clear the Tea Party must take the lead! Obama, “America’s President” is the product of a secret system of sedition and trickery. A complete underworld of dangerous swindles, unscrupulous scams and deadly con-artists that have been involved are now being exposed… and the picture is pure, raw evil, with the realization America has been duped—such as giving “Solyndra” special treatment as they contributed to Obama’s campaign. Given Obama’s past record, is it any wonder he wants to grab your guns, reach into your wallet and grab your cash for his tax coffers and then extinguish your freedom? The problem is, it is within his reach and most of the Washington Socialist Czars have applauded his actions! Are they blind or stupid—or both? If the unthinkable happens “America’s President” I will do the following the next 4 years.
Obama’s Czars desire to confiscate our guns once and for all; the U.S. dollar replaced with global government currency similar to the failing EURO in European Union. All domestic oil drilling stopped, giving places as Brazil and other countries a right to sell us oil. Then currently a burst of regulations from Environmental Protection Agency has closed down coal mines, even though these entities have spent millions to deliver clean coal. American industry is inundated with rules and regulation forcing oil, natural gas, coal to genuflect the crazies in the environmental entities that have brought our energy supplies to almost a halt. Obama’s focus seems directed at the U.S. border, so it ceases to exist when closing down important ports of entry. IF, if Obama gets reelected, we can be assured another 100 percent amnesty for all illegals, which could cost us at least 2 trillion dollars to process—that’s according to a projection of Heritage foundation? Homeownership swapped for government housing. A bloated Public school system, with social services replacing parents; Tea Party—and anyone who opposes the “new rule”—black listed and intimidated as seen not only in Arizona but silently encroaching to other 50 states. It is time to expose “America’s President.” But, you CAN stand in the way of his power grab for America.
I have no devotion to Mitt Romney’s administration, and the serious danger of re-electing President Obama is very tangible. My personal opinion about the controversy of Romney’s tax returns is not my business and shouldn’t be that issue for Liberal Senator Reid neither? We can undermine both parties by having our own candidates in Congress, especially in the Senate. He will want to keep paying out taxpayer’s money to Americans who have no interest in seeking a job or in fact never bothered to work in their lives; ‘FREELOADERS—even my family have these people. My spouse allows this, as she is an enabler? A 23 year old man who plays video games all day and a daughter with her boyfriend, who at 40 years old, has never been employed? The exclusion being attributed to the sick and handicapped that taxpayer support? The only real alternative is the TEA PARTY, which is gathering massive amounts of voters as a storm of confidence in a PEOPLES WASHINGTON, instead of the old guard of Republicans and their opposites. Any individual can join the TEA PARTY, as long as they are here in the United States legally. The TEA PARTY is a ‘political Statement’ about a federal government that has run amok of the U.S. Constitution, which has nearly bankrupted this country.
A major problem that neither party wants to talk about, is our nation infested with common criminals from across our borders or flying in and posing as visitor, with no intent to leave. Every day the amount of illegal alien drunken drivers keeps rising, mowing down innocent family members. But it’s not crime rate just rising in the Southwest, but the spreading of these people bringing with them their odious records from across the globe. Under each of the main parties nothing will be done, as they are under the strict influence of the corporate purveyors of cash or the insane zealots who wants open borders and the broad spread of poor foreigners who want a better life, which our spineless politicians think we are beholden too.
The TEA PARTY would insist on two immigration policies being approved though the Senate and House of Representatives. But more TEA PARTY leadership must gain more seats in Congress, which seems to be actually happening? Plenty of these moderate conservatives and true believers in our U.S. Constitution are ready to influence the other lawmaker’s to enact policies that assist out of work Americans. It will open up jobs for millions of low income Blacks, Hispanics, Whites, Asians and all other nationalities lawfully here. If your frustrated with both political parties past performance, vote for a TEA PARTY representative—they are different? It is passed time we enacted the ‘Legal Workforce Act (H.R. 2885) and the Birthright citizenship Act (H.R.140)? Isn’t it time that the state of Arizona, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and other in the 50 states protect their state borders? Each law essential to structure our immigration policies, once again gain a steel gauntlet on our immigration policies. The Birthright Citizenship law has been mutated, as it didn’t mean that anybody who reached into America could gain citizenship, as it only was only an avenue for the emancipation of slaves after the Civil War.
Retain this information that none citizens will be voting in November, if Obama’s Liberals get there way the ‘freeloaders will reward him with their votes. One should also determine for themselves if Obama has a right to a second term. I cannot judge for anybody but myself and I have afforded the time as an Independent and a TEA PARTY associate to read the evidence concerning the birth records of Barack Obama. There are many irregularities to his family backdrop, that has some disquieting concerns for me, but THE PEOPLE should interpret about the facts of the investigation and then vote for that reason.
No Copyright. Tell everybody.
Get to vote tomorrow and intend to show ID as I always do. They should know I am who I say I am.
The trial judge who enjoined the Wisconsin photo ID law held that the Crawford case did not govern the dispute before him:
“The defense submits that the court should be guided by the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in Crawford . . . in which the court considered challenge to the Indiana voter ID law. The Crawford decision has very little application to the dispute now before this court, however, for three primary reasons. First, this case is founded upon the Wisconsin Constitution which expressly guarantees the right to vote while Crawford was based upon the U.S. Constitution which offers not such guarantee. Second, the Indiana law is less rigid that [the Wisconsin law], and as noted by the U.S. Supreme Court, offered alternative voting opportunities to voters who lacked the photo ID. Finally, the Crawford case came to the court based upon a flawed factual record lacking the substantial evidence that has been offered by the plaintiffs in this action.” http://media.jsonline.com/documents/Voter+ID+injunction.pdf (p.9).
Substitute “Pennsylvania” for “Wisconsin” and this easily could be a paragraph from Judge Simpson’s upcoming opinion.
Also, the SCOTUS decision is irrelevant. This case was brought under the PA Constitution, and the State didn’t assert any US-Constitution based defenses. You can’t argue on appeal what you didn’t argue at trial.
People forget that Simpson was a registered Democrat when appointed by Casey originally to fill an empty seat. He cross-filed for the election to the full term, lost the Dem. primary and won the Rep. primary. So, while technically elected as a Republican, as so often happens in the counties, he doesn’t really have much allegiance to either party. And his decision may well indeed be the final say, given the 3-3 split on the PA Supreme Court.
Seeing SCOTUS upheld a similar law in Indiana, I doubt this law will be ruled unconstitutional.
The most likely results are:
1) Constitutional and effective now
2) Constitutional and delay effect until May 2013.
unless critics can differentiate it from the Indiana scotus-decision, the new law [which is more flexible than this precedent] should be upheld
Seriously, Sweaty? You have absolutely no
idea how the voter registration process works. You are just taking that bs-hook, line and sinker.
Neither you, nor your party leadership can point to a single verifiable case of voter fraud. And, as a person needs to show proof of citizenship to register (but you wouldn’t know about that because you have no intellectual curiosity to find out the facts for yourself) a non- citizen can’t vote. Again, point me to a single verified case of a non-citizen being able to register and vote. The facts are that at least 10% of eligible voters lack the necessary identification to vote. These are US citizens. Immigration status is not, not has it ever been, an issue. It is just something that xenophobes like you bring out to rally your xenophobic friends when real facts don’t work.
The most rational result would be to uphold it, but delay its effectiveness until May or next November.
Good thing for Democrats. Who else would defend voting rights for illegal aliens, dead people, criminals & those who can’t prove they exist?!
And hey there PoliticsPa, the commonsense notion that reducing voter fraud will help get Romney elected isn’t a gaffe, that’s a fact.