POLS ON THE STREET: Why The Fuss Over Voter IDs?

BY JOE SHAHEELI/ Whom can you trust to have the correct set of statics as to how many voters could possibly be turned away at the polls this November because of the state’s new voter-ID law? The opposition? The press? PennDOT?

Or how about Carol Aichele, the Secretary of the Commonwealth, who is in charge of all things do to with elections in Pennsylvania?

The Daily News’ Monday editorial headlined “You Can’t Vote — State Voter ID law could shut out more than half million citizens” was full of bull. It said her statements belie the actual facts. We suspect their agenda. Reporting the political field better than any other print media, we see it differently. We put our money on Aichele. She says state registration stats show few, if any, will be excluded from voting because of the voter-ID Law now in place in this state.

This poses two questions: why the push to get it passed and why the objections to it as law? The vast majority of registered voters in Pennsylvania have identification that can be used for voting, according to a recent comparison of the Dept. of State’s voter-registration rolls and PennDOT ID databases. “This thorough comparison of databases confirms most Pennsylvanians have acceptable photo ID for voting this November,” Aichele said. “This comparison takes into account only voters with PennDOT IDs, and does not include voters who may have any of the other various acceptable forms of ID.”

All voters identified as not having a PennDOT ID number will be contacted by letter this summer, reminding them of the new voter-ID law, what IDs are acceptable for voting purposes, and how to get a free ID if they don’t have one. County election directors will also be provided with the names and addresses of voters in their counties who did not match any record in the PennDOT database.

The database comparison shows: 91% of Pennsylvania’s 8,232,928 registered voters have PennDOT ID numbers. Of the 758,939 voters who could not be matched between the Department of State and PennDOT databases, 22 percent, or 167,566, are inactive voters, most of whom have not voted since 2007. Philadelphia has 136,182 voters who did not match with a PennDOT ID number and another 50,648 inactive.

One of the reasons a voter can be put on “inactive” status is if he or she has not voted in five years. A notice must be sent asking if the voter is still at the listed address. If the voter does not respond to this notice, the voter is placed on “inactive” status. Federal and state law require keeping an “inactive voter” on the registration list until he or she has not voted in two consecutive general elections for federal office after the date of the notice. “Even though many voters identified in this comparison as not having PennDOT IDs are ‘inactive voters’, most of whom have not voted since 2007, we will err on the side of caution and include them in this mailing,” Aichele said.

Other registered voters may not have matched PennDOT’s list due to a variation in names between the voter registration and PennDOT databases. For example, an individual who is registered to vote as Jon Smith but whose driver’s license name is Jonathan Smith, would not show as a match, and be reported as not having a PennDOT ID number.

This list also does not take into account voters without PennDOT identification who have other acceptable forms of identification. Such other acceptable forms include identification from accredited Pennsylvania colleges or universities, Pennsylvania care facilities, military identification, valid US passports, other photo identification issued by the federal or Pennsylvania government, or employee identification issued by the federal, Pennsylvania, or a county or municipal government. All identification used for voting must have an expiration date and be current, except for Pennsylvania driver’s licenses or non-driver photo identification, which are valid for voting purposes one year past their expiration. Retired military identification with an indefinite expiration date is also valid for voting purposes.

Voters who do not have an acceptable form of photo identification for voting can get one for free at any PennDOT driver license center. “We are committed to helping any eligible voter who does not have an acceptable ID get one to be able to vote in November,” Aichele said. “We are continuing our outreach to get the word to voters about this law. The goal of this law is to allow every legal voter to cast a ballot, but detect and deter anyone attempting to vote illegally.”

But we do concur with the advice ending the Daily News editorial which urges Pennsylvanians without current PennDOT identification to begin the process to apply for  it.

SINGER DISCUSSES VOTER ID ON TV

City Commission Chairwoman Stephanie Singer has taken her stand against the State’s voter-ID law to television, first appearing this past Monday on Current TV’s “War Room with Jennifer Granholm” and again this Sunday, Jul. 15, on NBC 10’s  “@Issue with Steve  Highsmith”. She said she has  a “new way to explain why the law is so un-American, using some household tools as a visual aid.”

DUCKY BIRTS, aide to Congressman Bob Brady, right, joined retired Court Officer Ron Pleis and Ruth Magee, president of St. Williams Seniors, as Lawndale group tripped to Wildwood for a day. Photo by Jean Pleis

KUDOS TO MIKE CIBIK FOR PADDYWHACKS

Fifth Ward GOP Leader Mike Cibik is to be congratulated for working a Tuesday happy hour at Paddywhacks, 2nd & South Streets, into what has become a rallying point for politicos with a Republican bent. He has elevated his weekly website notice with music and animation, inviting GOPers to attend last night’s Republican Happy Hour, where all heard City Commissioner Al Schmidt discuss the success of local GOP efforts to increase registration.

BLACK GOP’ERS PLAN REGISTRATION DRIVE

North Philadelphia ward leaders have scheduled a registration drivr and flea market Jul. 21 over the whole block in front of the Wharton Center at 22nd & Cecil B. Moore Avenue. The event, which includes a live DJ and a bouncy for kids, will run from 1 to 4 p.m. Tables to sell are being made available for $10 and can be reserved by calling (215) 469-4648.

ARE WE TO REDRAW REDISTRICTING MAPS?

Not only State Senate Democrats, but Amanda Holt, the piano teacher who spurred the redistricting-map controversy, have mounted a new challenge in the state Supreme Court to a Republican-drawn map of Pennsylvania’s legislative districts after challenges to a prior plan six months ago won a stunning victory from the divided high court and forced this year’s election to be held on boundaries drawn in 2001.

Republicans’ new version of the legislative map was designed to address the Supreme Court’s criticism when it struck down the previous plan in January. That criticism targeted what it said were splits of municipalities and districts that were unnecessarily drawn into unusual and tortured shapes.

DeLISSIO SCHEDULES TOWN-HALL MEETINGS

State Rep. Pamela A. DeLissio (D-Northwest) will hold two town hall meetings, Jul. 19 and Jul. 24 with constituents. Both meetings start at 7 p.m. The Jul. 19 event will be held at Wolfington Teletorium, Mandeville Hall, St. Joseph’s University (entrance from the parking lot on 54th Street, off City Avenue)and Jul. 24’s at Wolcoff Auditorium, Roxborough Memorial Hospital, 5800 Ridge Ave. Anyone with questions about the meetings can contact DeLissio’s constituent service office at (215) 482-8726 or (215) 879-8533.

SCHWARTZ AIDING BOOCKVAR CAMPAIGN

The 13th Congressional Dist.’s incumbent Allyson Schwartz will be the special guest at breakfast fundraiser in honor of 8th Dist. Congressional Democrat nominee Kathy Boockvar Tuesday, Jul. 17 at 401 Elm Street in Conshohocken.

The fundraising committee includes Jennifer Bragg, Karen Davidson, Lee Doty,  Julia Gabis , Judi Mackarey, Peggy McCausland , Trish McCausland , Lynn McHenry, Mandy Rosenblum , Jane Ruddell and Dameron Stoddard. For info call (215) 839-9383 or events@boockvar.com.

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