Pa. judge bars ID enforcement in Nov. election

[Tx4obama]

Source: AP

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A state judge on Friday barred enforcement of Pennsylvania's strict voter-identification law in the Nov. 5 general election.

The state also cannot require local elections officials to verbally tell voters at the polls that photo IDs could be required in future elections, but officials can distribute written material about the law, Commonwealth Court Judge Bernard McGinley said.

McGinley's ruling marked the third consecutive election in which enforcement of the law has been blocked by court order.

The constitutionality of the law is being challenged and was the subject of a 12-day trial before McGinley that ended earlier this month.

Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/pa-judge-bars-id-enforcement-nov-election

[blue neen]

1. Oh, and the officials have been telling voters that the photo ID's could be required.

Then they make their little remarks: "I don't see anything wrong with it." Of course, we're in a very Republican area.

The video of Mike Turzai's comments guaranteeing PA for Romney last fall:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2012/10/02/the-pennsylvania-voter-id-fight-explained/

[femmocrat]

3. Oh, yes!

The nasty piece of work at our polling place actually asks us why we are opposed to showing an ID! None of her damn business.

[blue neen]

4. I hear ya!

IMHO, the election officials should not be giving their opinions about anything when they are doing their jobs inside polling places.

There is a time and place for everything...leave the opinions at the door on that one day!

[onehandle]

5. When I voted in 2012, my photo ID was asked for. I told the person that it wasn't required.

I purposely left my driver's license in the car, but brought a copy of our electric bill. My wife and I were first in line at our poll.

She told me I was wrong and demanded it. I called the poll judge over.

He told her that I was correct, but he said to me, 'Next election, Photo ID will be mandatory.'

I said, 'We'll see.'


It wasn't. I voted in the primary this year, and this time, I wasn't challenged.

[rug]

7. +1

I easily see people getting arrested over this.

[jaysunb]

9. It could easily be the poll workers that get arrested

for voter intimidation.

[rug]

10. That would be a sight.

The problem with these small polling stations in Pennsylvania is that these jobs are given to the same people that are at the volunteer firehouse and they drink with the borough and township cops at the American Legion and the next thing you know it's me being arrested on a disorderly charge.

I was a pollwatcher for Obama in 2008 and it got real ugly real quick. While I was on the phone with the contact person he told me to leave and they'd send somebody else.



Oh well, one less arrest on my record.

[blue neen]

17. Yes, that is what goes on...

and they really don't like to let anyone "new" into the circle.

[blue neen]

18. They "reminded" my husband and me when we voted in the primary this spring.

"Oh, you'll definitely need the ID in November." Wishful thinking on their part.

[msanthrope]

15. If any poll worker tells you that, ask to see the judge of elections and make a formal complaint.

That will shut them up pretty quick.

[femmocrat]

2. Halleluia!

What great news! Now I won't have to argue with the nasty poll worker about not showing an ID!

We were right and they were wrong! Let's hope that the restrictive voter ID laws in other states start to topple like dominoes.

[Curmudgeoness]

6. So you had to argue as well?

I almost thought that the poll worker was not going to let me vote because I refused to show ID. I told her that I did not have to show anything, and she finally agreed with me but told me that I had better have an ID in the future. Then she forced me to take a flyer on the new ID law. I told her that I probably knew more about the law than she did, and that I guaranteed that if and when I needed to show an ID, I would do that.

I was furious. We were not supposed to have to be lectured or ridiculed. By the time I got to vote, I had to listen to several shitty comments from others in line about my attitude about the ID law. I hope that we prevail.

[femmocrat]

11. Yes!

My husband was also hassled (we voted at different times). Very similar to the scenario you described. She actually said that ID is required now, "so dead people don't vote for the wrong person"! Now that I would like to see!

[Curmudgeoness]

13. Dead people always vote for the right person.

Really----they have to inside track on what is in the future.

[femmocrat]

14. :rofl:

But do they have to show their IDs?

[Curmudgeoness]

16. Not in PA----not yet. Yippee!!!! n/t

[freshwest]

19. Wow. That's deep. Never thought of that.

[malthaussen]

21. It's okay, of course, if dead people vote for *our* person.

I love unintended truths, don't you?

-- Mal

[BumRushDaShow]

8. Woot!

Let's hope we can throw the whole thing out. It will be an uphill battle but keep it going.

[bucolic_frolic]

12. Democracy is Underfunded

The important work of electioneering should be trusted to a
professional class of civil servant and not to partisan hacks,
which is what we have now.

Of course all of county government is full of political appointees
that have been in power for decades. Another source of partisanship.

[ConcernedCanuk]

20. hmm - we've had that requirement for some time

.
.
.

Never heard anyone complain about it.

But dis be Canada.

CC