Judge Puts PA Voter ID Law on Hold

On Friday, a judge halted the implementation Pennsylvania’s voter ID law at least through the November general election.  As the Lancaster Intellegencer Journal explains in an article entitled Why the Delay in PA Voter ID Law?

The constitutionality of the new Pennsylvania voter-identification law has been upheld by the courts at least twice, yet it has not been implemented. Why not?

It's a fair question, and the answer lies with the NAACP, the Pennsylvania League of Women Voters and Philadelphia's Homeless Advocacy Project, advocacy groups that have stood in the way of the law that is designed to prevent voter fraud.

These liberal groups claim in their suit that as many as 710,000 people will be denied opportunity to vote even though state officials dispute the number and say the number in reality is less than 1% of that number.  Better proof is that the groups have tried unsuccessfully before to make this claim and yet have not found a single voter to support it.  Most importantly those who do not have ID can easily obtain it.  Their initial star, Mrs. Applewhite, a named Plaintiff in a prior case, was able to receive a free voter ID card easily and without burden.

In November, poll workers will still be able to ask for ID if the voter has it, however a voter will not need to present it and can still vote without it.  Additionally, workers can distribute material about the law but will not be allowed to tell voters that identification will be required in future elections.  Pennsylvanians who don't have the new voting-only ID card  are still able to get one and they available for free to voters without other approved ID.

Liberals stall tactics may be working for the time being; however the eventual enactment of this law is inevitable.  Pennsylvania elections have long been associated with problems whether it is the New Black Panther party intimidation or the admitted illegal voting tactics in Philadelphia described by liberal and Democratic operatives such as Chris Matthews.  The other day, the Secretary of the Commonwealth took an important first step by improving voting lists.  It’s time to uphold the integrity of elections in Pennsylvania and around the United States with the next step, voter ID.