As anyone who reads my blog knows, I don't think very much of the PA Voter ID law, because it doesn't stop fraud, only voting. I do think you should have ID to REGISTER to vote. I started working the polls over 25 years ago and still am an inspector of elections who has sworn each election to keep them free and fair and that is exactly what I have done. No one is more against election fraud than I, but I also fight so that no one legally registered to vote is disenfranchised.

The arguments for PA's law are based on rhetoric and not logic or facts.  I know, how dare I bring those two things into the conversation.

For your reading amusement, I would like to highlight some of the more popular talking points for voter ID and give you my take on them, based on the PA law and how the election process actually works here.

1. Illegal aliens are voting.  Just how would they do that?  If they just went to the polling place, with all those officials around, (you know, a place were someone who is trying to stay under the radar would go) and tried to vote, their name would not be in the voter poll book so we would call the county with their name and address (like they would stay around for that) and check their registration. They wouldn't be there so they don't get to vote.

2. Illegal voter registrations.  The PA law doesn't address that, but you do at least need the last 4 digits of your social security number on the registration form which is checked with the social security administration. 

3. Zombie apocalypse voters, or, dead people voting. Birth dates are in the voter poll book so no one who is 40 is going to come in impersonating a person that is 90. That person would also have to be a clairvoyant forger because the signature would have to match the signature in the voter poll book. Signature doesn't match, you are asked for ID. If no ID, you fill in a provisional ballot, if you insist.

4. More votes than registered voters in a district.  You can't vote if your name is not in the voter poll book. If it is not there, and you say it should be,  we call the county and find out were you are registered to vote.  If they say you should vote here, you vote.  If they say you are not registered, you do not vote. If they say you should be voting in another district, you will be given directions.  If you still insist you should be voting there, you get a provisional ballot which will only be counted if you can prove that you should be voting here. 

5. Everyone should have ID.  I always find this one amusing because these are the same people who don't want too much government and are against a national ID card. Do you know that more than half of the IDs valid for voting in PA were non-existent when the law was passed and that's why so many people don't have ID to vote?  Veterans' photo IDs don't have expiration dates, 97 of the 110 PA colleges and universities' cards didn't have expiration dates, PA care facility IDs didn't have expiration dates, and my favorite, PA state employee ID cards don't have expiration dates.  This is why the PA Supreme Court justices' judicial ID cards, that would open many doors, are not good enough to use for voting. 

6. Voting multiple times. Since you do not need a current address on your ID, the PA law will not stop that. 

Do you know that usually when the PA assembly passes a law that another agency would have to oversee there, is a one to two year waiting period to get out all the bugs? The Department of State didn't even start addressing this until the end of July with a letter that did NOT tell the people on the no match list they were on the no match list.

Yes, you read that right. They have changed the perimeters for getting ID nine (9) times, leaving everyone, especially staff at PennDOT locations, totally confused. And that's only the beginning. I really, really know this subject and if you would like to learn more, post a comment. 

If you really care about free and fair elections, don't post your drivel in the comment section, get off your tush and help at the polls. Don't disenfranchise people who have been legally voting for years.

You can also sign and share my petition to postpone the voter ID law so the 1/2 million legally registered voters in PA who are at risk for losing their right to vote this November, don't. http://signon.org/sign/postpone-pa-voter-id