Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Judge Robert Simpson ruled Tuesday that implementation of Pennsylvania's new Voter ID law be put on hold until after the Nov. 6 general election.
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Tuesday, October 2, 2012
A judge ruled today that Pennsylvania's tough new Voter ID Law should be put on hold until after the Nov. 6 general election, according to an Associated Press report. The ruling can be appealed to the state Supreme Court, which said it would expedite any further action in the case since Election Day is just five weeks away. Do you agree with the ruling? Tell us in the comments section below. Commonwealth Court Judge Robert Simpson heard two days of testimony last week, as directed by the Supreme Court, to determine whether the state has made it easy enough to get a photo ID in order to vote. Opponents say the law, and the process to get an ID, disenfranchises voters. Supporters say the law will prevent voter fraud - but that justification …
Find out what people are saying online about Tuesday's ruling on Pennsylvania's controversial Voter ID Law.
Most Tweets are happy with the ruling, but some people are frustrated and others still appear confused by it all.
A look at the injunction against the Voter ID Law.
Judge Robert Simpson issued a preliminary injunction Tuesday morning, halting certain aspects of the Voter ID Law from impacting the November presidential election. While the decision does not repeal the law that requires citizens to show photo identification to vote, if upheld, the ruling allows registered voters to cast ballots without an ID. To issue an injunction on the law, Simpson was tasked to consider two questions—does the issuance of IDs "comport with liberal access" that the General Assembly required, and will no voter disenfranchisement exist if the law is implemented this fall? Liberal Access? In returning the case to Simpson, the commonwealth's Supreme Court said then-current procedures were "contrary" to liberal access—a …
Saturday, September 29, 2012
The Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court had two hearings this week to determine the accessibility of the state’s voter ID law.
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Saturday, September 29, 2012
By Melissa Daniels | PA Independent HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania officials are playing catch-up in implementing the voter ID law. This week, the state announced two more changes relating to the controversial law, involving the same issues debated in a Harrisburg courtroom. Tuesday and Thursday, Commonwealth Court Judge Robert Simpson heard the case, as directed by the Supreme Court, to determine whether the state has made it easy enough to obtain an ID in order to vote. Opponents say the law, and the process to get an ID, disenfranchises voters. Meanwhile, the state has been negotiating with union workers and changing proof of identification requirements to get the IDs into people’s wallets, part of the effort to get everyone an ID before …
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
PennDOT will be issuing free Department of State voter ID cards, which will be a safety net for residents who cannot obtain other types of photo identification.
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Tuesday, August 28, 2012
HARRISBURG – Since the Pennsylvania Voter ID law was enacted in March and upheld this month in Pennsyvlvania court, PennDOT has been working closely with the Department of State to ensure that every voter has the opportunity to obtain photo identification. Beginning today, Aug. 28, voters who lack verification documents necessary for a secure Pennsylvania Photo ID (non-driver’s license ID card), will be able to obtain a new Department of State voter identification card for free by visiting a PennDOT Driver License Center. Bensalem 4201 Neshaminy Blvd. Bensalem, PA 19020 Dublin Dublin Village Plaza 161 N. Main Street Dublin, PA 18917 Huntingdon Valley Market Place @ Huntingdon Valley 2022 County Line Road Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006 …
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Unemployment in Pennsylvania is up, Commonwealth Court upholds voter ID law and state Rep. Joe Brennan is arrested for allegedly beating his wife.
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Saturday, August 18, 2012
By PA Independent Staff HARRISBURG — Unemployment in Pennsylvania and the state’s voter ID law are up this week — the jobless rate climbed to 7.9 percent and Commonwealth Court upheld the controversial law — but lawmakers’ behavior and the state’s spending on lobbying in Washington, D.C., are both down. Pennsylvania’s voter ID law survived the first challenge brought against it, but the ruling was appealed to the state Supreme Court. Commonwealth Court Judge Robert Simpson on Wednesday upheld Pennsylvania’s new voter ID law because plaintiffs challenging the law did not meet the requirements to obtain an injunction. Those plaintiffs filed an appeal with the state Supreme Court on Thursday. In a 70-page decision, Simpson wrote that …
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Joyce Block, 90, was part of the lawsuit against Pennsylvania’s Voter ID law and said she isn’t giving up, even after a state court upheld the law.
A Doylestown great-grandmother involved in the lawsuit against Pennsylvania’s Voter ID law said she is not giving up, despite a state court’s ruling Wednesday. Joyce Block said she was disgusted by the state court’s upholding of the law which requires Pennsylvania voters to show an approved identification card before they can vote. “This is disgraceful. They disenfranchise so many people, and I’m just thoroughly disgusted,” Block said Wednesday morning. “I’m glad we’re going to appeal it. It isn’t over yet.” Block, who is 90, tried to get an identification card from the PennDOT office in Dublin, Bucks County, but was denied. Her birth certificate and Social Security card are in her maiden name, Joyce Lucille Altman, but her Medicare card …
Will this decision stick? Both sides had said they would appeal this ruling.
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Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Commonwealth Court Judge Robert Simpson upheld Pennsylvania’s controversial Voter ID law, but that’s not the end of the story. At the conclusion of the hearing, both sides said they would appeal to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court if they lost. In this case, the loser is American Civil Liberties Union legal director Vic Walczak. He told The Washington Post that the case isn't over. “It’s why they make appeals courts.” Do you agree with the verdict? Leave a comment. The ACLU and the NAACP claim voter ID laws disenfranchises voters, especially the elderly, the poor and minorities. Proponents of voter ID laws, including State Senator Daryl Metcalfe (R-12th District) who introduced the Pennsylvania bill, say the law is meant to prevent voter …
Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court Judge Robert Simpson said he will not stop the state's Voter ID law.
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Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Commonwealth Court Judge Judge Robert Simpson said Wednesday morning that he will not grant an injunction that would have stopped Pennsylvania's controversial voter identification law from going into effect. The challenge to the law was brought by voter advocacy groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union and the NAACP. ACLU attorney Witold J. Walczak told The Washington Post that the case isn't over. “It’s why they make appeals courts.” Is this good or bad for Pennsylvania? Leave a comment. Opponents are expected to file an appeal within a day or two to the state Supreme Court as the Nov. 6 presidential election looms, according to the Associated Press. Pennsylvania passed a law in March requiring all registered voters to …
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Alternative ballots could be a way for some people to vote without showing their ID.
While we wait for a ruling this week on the controversial Voter ID bill, there appears to be a loophole, according to Philly.com, in the form of the alternative ballot. The alternative ballot is basically an absentee ballot for those with a disability or who are older than 65 and who have a polling place deemed inaccessible by the County Board of Elections. Although the application for absentee ballot now asks for your drivers license number, Social Security number or other acceptable form of identification, the alternative ballot application does not ask for that. If you are planning on voting by absentee ballot or alternative ballot, be sure to plan ahead. Applications for either must be received no later than 5 p.m. on Oct. 30 and the …
Maxcine Collier
12:30 am on Friday, October 5, 2012
If people of all ages have voted all of these years in PA without evidence of voter fraud, what was the purpose of this proposed law anyway? A waste of taxpayer's money for what REASONABLE purpose anyone who is sane will not ever be able to fathom. more ›