PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - A requirement that voters show photo identification at the polls became law in Pennsylvania on Wednesday, the latest in a spate of Republican-led efforts to impose stricter controls at the ballot box.

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett signed the act into law, saying it set a "simple and clear standard to protect the integrity of our elections."

"I am signing this bill because it protects a sacred principle, one shared by every citizen of this nation," the Republican governor said. "That principle is one person, one vote."

Opponents, who say the measure seeks to suppress voter turnout, vowed to challenge it in court.

Pennsylvania joined several Republican-governed states, including Texas, Kansas and Wisconsin, that have adopted stricter voter identification laws, arguing they were needed to prevent ballot box fraud.

Supporters say the laws are no different from needing identification to board an airplane or obtain a library card.

But some civil rights groups say such laws discriminate against the poor who may not be able to pay fees for copies of legal documents such as birth certificates, and that they could suppress minority votes.

Democrats say voter identification measures are aimed at squeezing out university students and senior citizens who tend to vote for Democrats.

Andy Hoover, legislative director for the American Civil Liberties Union's Pennsylvania branch, said there was no evidence of voter impersonation fraud in the state.

Other states have encountered setbacks trying to impose voter identification requirements. A judge issued an injunction earlier this week against Wisconsin's law, and the U.S. Justice Department blocked a new voter identification law in Texas.

The Justice Department, which also blocked a voter identification law in South Carolina from taking effect, said the Texas law could harm Hispanic voters who lack identification documents.

"Our legal team is currently mapping a strategy for overturning this voter suppression bill," ACLU of Pennsylvania Executive Director Reggie Shuford said in a statement. "The evidence is clear. Some citizens will lose the vote if this becomes law."

Corbett said 99 percent of Pennsylvanians already had valid identification, and those who did not could get one for free at state Department of Transportation driver license centers.

Under the Pennsylvania law, photo identification will not be required for the state's April 24 primary, but will be required for the November 6 general election.

(Editing By Ellen Wulfhorst and Peter Cooney)



The ACLU should be outlawed...

It will get over turned because they aleady verify you are a registered voter when you walk in to the voter booth.

So it isn't needed.

It is just a bunch of right wing fear mongering rhetoric that is meant to make those who agree with the unjust craziness of the right wing, that they are not the minority but they are having their election stolen, which isn't true. The fact of the matter is the right wing ideology is not a just or right way for us to live and is slowly dying off due to people getting more enlightened.

It won't, its too far north of the border!

no, it makes the most sense... you have to have an ID for everything else, including a stinking library card, but not to elect our leaders? why are all you libs so against this? sounds like yall are scared of losing an election, by having the election running fairly.

Sounds like you bought into the fear mongering they hoped you would...lol sorry for ya.

I have no fear of fraud at the polls because I vote and have been verified by my name and address when I go to the poll to vote. When I registered to vote I showed an ID so they have me on file and check it when I get into the voter booth.

They aren't going to make me paranoid of the non existent.

But carry on if you must.

Hell, the right wing crazies act like it is a coveted event and we can't even get almost half of our eligible citizens to vote they are too lazy to participate in their government.

lol... i guess i missed all the liberal jibberish while i was gone... fear-mongering? can you explain that please? what is right is right. if that is the only way libs can win an election, then of course they will try to do it. i guess being fair and have only US CITIZENS VOTE not good enough for the libs. i guess the cities and towns that have more votes than voters is ok with you too... now i see why the muslim won in 2008.

This is good and hopefully more states will adopt similar laws so our leaders are only elected by citizens. What do I fear here? Explain the fear mongering to me Mr. Smartypants? I must fear an honest system?

Okay so I see I am too advanced for you to understand, carry on....

yea, that must be it...you advanced liberals are just to advanced for me...

Sniffin your own farts again eh?

so i take it that cheating and advanced mean the same thing in your eyes?

Dragoness said...

"It will get over turned because they aleady verify you are a registered voter when you walk in to the voter booth.

So it isn't needed."

--------------------------

The bank verifies that I am a registered account holder EVERY time I use the account.

I want them to ask for my ID when I step to the booth.

It means the next person in the door also has the right to vote.

If you got here by breaking my laws...

I sure don't want you voteing for anything...

As long as the states are asking for a State ID and not a Federal one the Feds have no business interferring.

It is a 'reserving' by the state for its people and so exempt from federal interference.

its called the 10th.

States Rights.

don't all liberals do that?

i not sure we are advanced enough to entertain that thought...

Excellent point!

Overturned by who? The Feds?
The SCOTUS upheld voter ID in Indiana.
The Feds need to stay the heII out of states business.
And don't they have anything better to do like oh I don't know fix the economy, work on lowering unemployment.

Even if it is overturned by DOJ in DC Pennsylvannia and whatever other state can impose whatever restrictions they wish in their states whenever they wish under speration of federal and state governments.......all the Fed can do is impose sanctions......which the state can fight.....they cannot forcibly make a state comply........the state can have whatever laws they wish and the fed to f off

with all due respect to the voting process i could really give a F u c k less who votes for who,i really don't care if a convict votes or an illegal alien votes or an alien from neptune votes.It's voting for someone who isn't going to do what they promise anyways so why make it a big deal?Why because its unamerican..yuk yuk.So tired of the BS fake convenient patriotism people show on here.They politicians suck i don't care which side you fall sucker for they are all f u c k i n g you and you still vote for them,need to over throw the government and change it,not keep voting these jerk offs in office.
Gee the Americans voted in a GOP senate cause the Republicans swore they could stop the spending and fix the economy the american peeps fell for this right wing BS,so how did that work out...we are still not any better than before.Now theres a no budget no pay thingy...wow no pay for already rich politicians aw so sad for them.

but you dont have to have id to check out a book, ONCE you have a library card

its the same concept behind registration for voting, many places send you a voting card (like having a library card) and thats all you need to go vote,,NOT an id