State to rollback requirements for voter ID

[modrepub]

Source: philly.com

The Pennsylvania Department of State announced Friday that the state will offer a new photo identification card that will spare voters from having to obtain birth certificates and Social Security cards in order to vote next November.



Read more: http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20120720_State_to_rollback_requirements_for_voter_ID.html

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Court date for PA Voter ID law is July 25th.

[immoderate]

1. Major bullshit!

A voter should be registered, and required to sign the roll -- THAT'S IT!

I think any other requirement is an infringement on the right to vote!

--imm

[Gothmog]

2. This is to lessen the litigation risk

That ACLU and others have sued the state on this voter suppression law and had a good chance of proving that it is a poll tax. These changes lessen that chance.

[Downwinder]

3. Don't see any provisions for travel vouchers.

Nor mobile units.

[Stuart G]

4. Most important is July 25 date...

Do states rely on other state decisions for their decisions???
Wisconsin has already delcared that type of ID illegal..Could Pennsylvania do the same?? or will it??

[elleng]

13. Probably most are based on States' own constitutions, so, No,

but courts MAY recognize principles adopted in other states, if they want to.

[rocktivity]

5. TRANSLATION: The Pennsylvania Department of State announced Friday

that they're RUNNING SCARED!!!

Cue the Vonage theme!


rocktivity

[bluestateguy]

6. For free?

And will it be sent to everyone, or will you have to ask for it?

This might only be a very small step in the right direction, designed to make it look like the problem has been fully solved.

[Stuart G]

7. Rachel had a great discussion on this a couple of nights ago..

I am sure it is already up here..someone can provide the link.
There is a voter's organization fighting for those who will be disinfranchised..

[Stuart G]

8. Here is the link...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/101742440


It is well worth the eleven minute watch to see how well Rachel presents the problem and the expert, Waldman is trying to help those who would be affected by these repressive ID laws...

[femmocrat]

11. Yes it is free, but extremely inconvenient and inaccessible.

Plus this violates the PA state constitution. The state knows they don't have a case.

[YOHABLO]

9. This doesn't make any sense ...

Here is what I don't get ...[The new voter ID cards, good for voting purposes only, will be offered at PennDot driver licensing centers beginning the last week in August, to registered voters who can provide a date of birth, a Social Security number and two proofs of residency, like utility bills.] It still requires all this documentation .. so what's the difference? It hasn't changed anything. I think if you are a registered voter ... and your name is on the voting roll when you sign in the polling precinct ... you get to vote ..period, done. It's bullshit.

[elleng]

12. This is the difference:

'will offer a new photo identification card that will spare voters from having to obtain birth certificates and Social Security cards.'

New cards offered 'to registered voters who can provide a date of birth, a Social Security number and two proofs of residency, like utility bills.'

Much easier to obtain 'new' documents than birth certs and soc sec cards, which can take a while and be very burdensome to obtain.

It is b.s., but sounds like PA is scared about losing its case, so trying to save face etc etc etc.

[femmocrat]

10. Big fat hairy deal --- people still have to go to the drivers' license centers.

In this county, they are few and far between, the hours are inconvenient, and there are always long lines.

I have to go every four years to have a new photo taken and it is a huge pain in the behind. You can plan on wasting a couple of hours of your life there.

Anyone without a drivers' license would have to inconvenience some kind soul who would be willing to take them. This does nothing to solve the problem. People will say the hell with it and stay home.

[malthaussen]

16. Ironically, I just had my license renewed in Montco this year

... and it took all of five minutes. I was amazed.

The central point remains, of course. The scum we have running the Commonwealth now are doing everything they can to turn us into a GOP dream state.

-- Mal

[drm604]

14. So, here in PA what we should do now is arrange vans or buses to give free rides to the DMV.

They've removed the birth certificate requirement, which was one hurdle, now we need to remove the rest.

Obviously, getting this overturned in court is the real answer, but we need a backup and we need to start arranging it now.

Hell, maybe if the DMV offices get clogged with busloads of people on Saturday mornings, maybe they'll have to make things even easier.

[BumRushDaShow]

15. Here in Philadelphia

the DMV offices are already clogged with people renewing licenses, reactivating licenses, replacing licenses, and, getting new licenses, including taking driver tests, etc - and that's on weekdays. Add these poll tax voter suppression Voter IDs and it WILL be a nightmare. Over the years, they closed down and consolidated many of the offices so as has been reported, they are few and far between.

Corbett is one big FAIL and he should have his ass in JAIL.

[drm604]

20. Check out this FaceBook post.

Apparently the 5 Philly offices would have to issue one ID every three or four minutes in order to issue the 186,000 IDs needed to prevent the disenfranchisement of Philly voters who don't currently have IDs.

https://www.facebook.com/daylin.leach/posts/10150922523515672

[modrepub]

17. Lots of Repubs in Philly

This has been a major story in the Philly area for months now. I hope that the city Dems are doing everything they can to get their members registered. One hope I have is that this will ultimately backfire. The city of Philly repubs are weak, divided and are spending most of their time trying to uncover voter irregularities. There are over 120,000 registered repubs in Philly; that's the sixth highest total in the state and more than the number of repubs if you combined 20 of the commonwealth's 67 counties.

Whatever the outcome of this, it is absolutely clear to me this whole process has cost the Commonwealth millions of dollars it doesn't have.

[quaker bill]

18. The question then arises

If you don't have to prove who you are to get the ID, why require people to have them?

[Tom Rinaldo]

19. Still BS but it represents a tactical political retreat of sorts

Which is better than further tactical political advances by the PA Republican Party. Foremost it it shows the heat is reaching them. Secondarily, in a short term worst case scenario, more people will regain their right to vote in November who were being targeted by Republicans for purging than otherwise would have been possible under their draconian original measure. Their intent in either case remains illegal as no need to add further barriers to voting has been established, and the measures Republicans propose dis-proportionally adversely effect certain voter groups.

[drm604]

21. Check out this FaceBook post.

Apparently the 5 Philly offices would have to issue one ID every three or four minutes in order to issue the 186,000 IDs needed to prevent the disenfranchisement of Philly voters who don't currently have IDs.

http://www.facebook.com/daylin.leach/posts/10150922523515672