Turmoil Follows As Pennsylvania Voter ID Law Meets Reality

[DonViejo]

Source: TPM

RYAN J. REILLY NOVEMBER 6, 2012, 3:55 PM 21623
WASHINGTON — Voting and civil rights activists said Tuesday that Pennsylvania’s new voter ID law was causing mass confusion across the state as people tried to go to the polls.

Because of a judge’s ruling in October, the law attempted to walk a line by allowing poll workers to ask voters for photo identification while also giving voters a big loophole to cast a regular ballot without it.

The Election Protection coalition’s voter hotline here began lighting up with complaints soon after polls opened. Some voters said they were upset about being asked for photo identification. Others said they had been turned away because they did not provide it.

“We’ve definitely gotten reports about voters being turned away,” Eric Marshall, co-director of the Election Protection coalition, told TPM. “We’ve had reports of people who have shown up, been asked, and when they didn’t show ID they were turned away.”

Marshall said voting rights advocates were working to resolves the issues as quickly as possible. Assistant Philadelphia District Attorney Peter Berson also told the Philadelphia Inquirer that his office had received complaints about poll workers who misunderstood the ruling.




Read more: http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/11/pennsylvania_voter_id_election_day.php?ref=fpb

[Angry Dragon]

1. Civil rights violations

[sulphurdunn]

3. and mission accomplished

for the GOP.

[onehandle]

2. Republicans are toast here next election.

I will see to it.

[olddad56]

6. after this one, they may not have any more elections, they may abandon the charade.

[Dubster]

4. Spam deleted by gkhouston (MIR Team)

[Ruby the Liberal]

5. Is there a plan to get those people back to the polls?

Don't even care which campaign, but is Election Protection at least contacting the GOTV staging offices to let them know??

[davidpdx]

16. The problem is would they know who has been turned away?

And secondly how many people? Are we talking about 100s or 1000s?

[question everything]

7. Time for Federal intevention

Declare that voting rights is not part of "Sate rights." And if federal appointee has to replace local election official - so be it.

[cui bono]

13. Thom Hartmann was saying today that we don't actually have the right to vote

since it's not in the constitution and that's why all these shenanigans are able to occur. What we need is to pass federal legislation I believe, that makes voting a right.

[Beowulf]

18. We have the Voting Rights Act of 1965

but that's likely to be struck down by SCOTUS in the new session. I fear things will get much worse and violent before it gets better.

[question everything]

19. Not everything should be justified by the Constitution

We don't have a right for safe bridges and roads, clean water, safe skies, food and medications.

I am not a legal eagle - far from it - but I doubt that the EPA, FDA, FAA and other institutions are supported by the Constitutions.

We, the people, have a right to direct our representatives to enact laws and regulations that enhance the common good.

[Marie Marie]

8. I am a PA voter.

Voted this morning and had decided to NOT show photo ID when asked because I knew it wasn't mandatory. Unecessary since I wasn't even asked. Neither was anyone around me. What a clusterf**k. Perhaps they were making sure that this only happened in heavy Democratic districts??

[InsultComicDog]

17. and in my PA precinct

no one even asked

[SoapBox]

9. Election Protection coalition

Election Protection - for nationwide voting help.

http://www.866ourvote.org/

1-866-OUR-VOTE

[SoapBox]

10. Pennsylvania Voter's Bill of Rights, 800 Numbers and Suggestions

Also this, from another poster at DU (link to OP below):

This is from a PA. disability rights group, but the same rights apply to everyone.

http://dvcpa.org/Files/Admin/PDF's/PA_Voters_Bill_of_Rights.pdf

Democratic Voter Protection Hotline: [phone]-vote

PA. Dept. of State Hotline - 1877-8683772

It is also a good idea to have the phone number of your county voting office with you, particularly if you are volunteering.

Also bring a folding chair. If the lines get long (particularly in the evening), many people have trouble standing and would appreciate a place to sit. In 2008, the Obama campaign also had snacks and water available for volunteers to hand out wherever the lines were long. In 2004, we sang "We shall overcome" to people in an unusually long line.

The first time a person is voting, or at a new polling place, they need to have some form of ID. Otherwise, the voter ID law is not in effect for this election. Here's English and Spanish posters on the ID requirements, from the Committee of Seventy:

http://www.seventy.org/Downloads/Voter_Education_Flyerv10.11.12.pdf

http://www.seventy.org/Downloads/Spanish_Flyerv10.19.12.pdf

No one should walk away without voting. If there is a problem, they should demand a provisional paper ballot, so their voting eligibility can be determined later.

If you are in line as of 8 pm, you must be allowed to vote. Typically, they have everyone go inside and then they lock the doors.

Persons with a criminal record or on probation or parole can vote in PA., as long as they are not in prison on election day.



http://www.democraticunderground.com/10742713

[drm604]

11. They need to start arresting people.

Seriously. This crap has to stop.

[Common Sense Party]

12. Surely someone has filmed one of these incidents.

It should be going viral by now.

[lexw]

14. Yep. As was stated above: Mission Accomplished.

A sad country we've become.

[louis-t]

15. "misunderstood" the ruling? Or simply instructed to ignore it?

They have to cheat, folks. It's their way.

[4dsc]

20. Get their names for christ sake.

EOM.

[markpkessinger]

21. Can I interest folks in this thread in signing my petition on this very subject?

See http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021725414