While not everyone
does vote, those that do exercise this right generally show up at the voting
booth expecting to vote right away. This year, more than nine percent of voters in Pennsylvania may not be able to vote.
In May of 2012, PA passed a mandatory voter ID law. Additionally, a database of names was created that separated PA voters with a driver's license from those without one. These voters were supplied to the Secretary of State for purging from the PA voter rolls.
What is the reality?
The problem with this law, which has also been passed in other states, is that not everyone has the proper photo identification required under the law. For example, student identifications are acceptable, but only if they have an expiration date. Employer identifications are not acceptable.
These restrictions may disenfranchise certain blocks of the population. Those against these types of voter identification laws claim that they may prohibit certain groups from voting. For example, minority voters, elderly voters and students often do not meet the requirements under these new laws.
While the point of these laws is reportedly to reduce voter fraud, there were a mere 13 cases of voter fraud reported and prosecuted between 2000 and 2010. One PA resident, aged 93, has filed an anti-discrimination lawsuit because she lacks the proper identification and is unable to locate documents that would allow her to provide the required ID.
Additional sources:
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/07/voter-id-laws-charts-maps
http://www.judiciary.senate.gov/pdf/11-9-8LevittTestimony.pdf
In May of 2012, PA passed a mandatory voter ID law. Additionally, a database of names was created that separated PA voters with a driver's license from those without one. These voters were supplied to the Secretary of State for purging from the PA voter rolls.
What is the reality?
The problem with this law, which has also been passed in other states, is that not everyone has the proper photo identification required under the law. For example, student identifications are acceptable, but only if they have an expiration date. Employer identifications are not acceptable.
These restrictions may disenfranchise certain blocks of the population. Those against these types of voter identification laws claim that they may prohibit certain groups from voting. For example, minority voters, elderly voters and students often do not meet the requirements under these new laws.
While the point of these laws is reportedly to reduce voter fraud, there were a mere 13 cases of voter fraud reported and prosecuted between 2000 and 2010. One PA resident, aged 93, has filed an anti-discrimination lawsuit because she lacks the proper identification and is unable to locate documents that would allow her to provide the required ID.
Additional sources:
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/07/voter-id-laws-charts-maps
http://www.judiciary.senate.gov/pdf/11-9-8LevittTestimony.pdf
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