Tag: Constitutional Amendment

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.”

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.”

Email:

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.”

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.”

  • Will tonight's U.S. Senate debate affect your decision?


    • No. I've already decided on how to cast my vote. (81%)
    • Yes. Anxious to hear from both candidates (19%)

    Total Voters: 27

    Loading ... Loading ...
Continue to Browser

PoliticsPA

To install tap and choose
Add to Home Screen