POLS ON THE STREET: Getting On Ballot Is Tough In Pa.

COUNCILWOMAN Marion Tasco joins Congresswoman Donna Edwards and Actress Tatyana Ali at Pennsylvania Democratic Party Headquarters to highlight why they believe Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan are “too extreme for America’s women and their families” – especially when it comes to health care decisions and equal pay for women, Tasco said. Photo by Rory McGlasson

The Pennsylvania Constitution Party has given up the quest to have its presidential candidate, Virgil Goode, on the 2012 Pennsylvania ballot.

Though it had collected 175% of the required signatures, it was forced off the ballot by a GOP challenge. Key reason, according to Party Chair and VP candidate Jim Clymer, is the Pennsylvania Constitution Party could not afford the almost $100,000 in court costs it might accrue if the challengers were successful.

The Pennsylvania Libertarians are fighting a challenge to their presidential candidate, for whom 49,000 signatures were submitted, more than twice the 20,601 required this year. The LP slate of candidates, including Gov. Gary Johnson for President of the US, is still on the ballot, but is fighting the Republican Party challenge of about 44,000 of their signatures.

The threat of financial retribution is enough to prevent most otherwise-dedicated parties to avoid even collecting signature petitions in Pennsylvania. Republicans and Democrats in the General Assembly share equal credit for passing ballot-access laws designed to keep their competition off the ballot. In order to gain ballot access, candidates who are not Ds or Rs must collect typically 10 to 20 times the nominating-petition signatures needed by the two ruling parties. For statewide contests in the 11/06/12 election, Rs and Ds need to gather 2,000 signatures while anyone else must collect 20,601!

Currently only Dr. Jill Stein, of the Greens, will share the Pennsylvania ballot line with the two major parties. State Dems neglected to challenge the Greens as they normally do, allowing that party to siphon off Democrat support for President Obama.

AT THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION

The Independence Hall Tea Party PAC, the only federally registered Tea Party PAC in the tri-state (DE/NJ/PA) region, and the first Tea Party PAC in the nation to endorse Gov. Mitt Romney for President (Jan. 2, 2012, on the eve of the Iowa Caucus), has been represented at the convention by its President, Don Adams.

Cheri Honkala, VP candidate for the Green Party, wasn’t worried about hurricane weather in Florida. She has slept outdoors protesting under all sorts of conditions. She was in Tampa on Friday, Aug. 25, to discuss her fledgling campaign. Founder of the Poor Peoples Economic Human Rights Campaign, www.economichumanrights.org/, Honkala was also here to talk up the group’s protest that took place on the first day of the Republican National Convention, Monday. Although she says she never imagined she would be on a presidential ticket, Honkala has campaigned for office before, running for Sheriff of Philadelphia last year.

LOCAL G.O.P. TO MARK CONVENTION HERE

A Republican National Convention Happy Hour will be held at the United Republican Club, 3156 Frankford Avenue, tonight from 7 to 11 p.m. Complimentary pizza will be served with bottled beer cut to $2 and drafts to $1. The Philadelphia Republican Leadership Council may resume the Republican monthly speaker breakfast forums – with a new location, the Republican Victory Office located at 529 South 4th Street. Those interested should let 5th Ward Leader Mike Cibik know.

UNITING to alert W. Phila. voters to requirements of new voter-ID law, State Reps. Vanessa Lowery Brown and Ron Waters staged briefing session at Mt. Olivet Baptist Church in Mill Creek.

WHAT CONSTITUTES I.D. VOR VOTERS

Starting on Nov. 6, you must prove your identity by showing one of the following photo IDs issued by: The United States government, e.g., a US passport The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, e.g., a driver’s license (NOTE: An expired driver’s license is okay as long as it is within 12 months after the expiration date) A Pennsylvania municipality (e.g., city, county, borough, incorporated town) to municipal employees An accredited Pennsylvania public or private institution of higher learning, e.g., a student card A Pennsylvania care facility, which includes a long‐term care nursing facility, an assisted-living residence or a personal-care home US Armed Forces branches or their reserves, including the Pennsylvania National Guard (NOTE: The ID-holder can be a veteran or current member; the expiration date can be indefinite.)

Unless otherwise noted, your ID must be valid – in other words, your photo ID must have an expiration date and that date cannot have expired. Also valid are non‐photo driver’s license or other non‐photo ID issued by the Pennsylvania Dept. of Transportation.

PHILLY TURNOUT IS KEY TO HOW PA. VOTES

The Philadelphia Inquirer’s voter poll finds President Barack Obama leading Republican rival Mitt Romney by a significant margin in Pennsylvania, raising the question of whether the Keystone State is up for grabs on Nov. 6. Polling indicates Obama would win the state by nine percentage points – 51%-42% – with 7% of voters undecided.

Key to this is the Philadelphia turnout. Obama makes it easy if this city brings out 400,000 majority or more. If it doesn’t do better than 350,000, look for a possible upset.

DUNBAR SCHOOL GIVEAWAY DRAWS CROWD

William F. Dunbar, the Democratic candidate for State Representative in the 177th Dist., hopes the 245 families that took advantage of his free school supplies giveaway Saturday will remember his efforts. As Dunbar and his staff filled up their children’s backpacks, parents thanked the candidate for providing the much-needed supplies.

With Catholic-school closures in the District, Dunbar is pressing school support as one of his platforms.

COMMR. SINGER ON NATIONAL TV

City Commission Chair Stephanie Singer was interviewed on MSNBC’s “The Ed Show” discussing the ramifications of Pennsylvania’s new voter-ID law. She urged voters to turn out, and if not sure of having the right ID, to vote via provisional ballot. She obviously has an eye for talent.

Her Deputy Commissioner for Communications Jorge Santana is now doing the same for PA Voices. So she is looking to hire a replacement. It’s a high-powered, very busy position.

STILL NO PHOTO? D.O.S. PLANS SPECIAL SAME-DAY CARD

The Pennsylvania Dept. of State has begun distributing a new free, same-day, DOS photo-ID card for registered voters who do not have any of the photo IDs that will be accepted at the polls on Nov. 6.

According to the DOS, this new “ID of last resort” is a safety net for voters who don’t have an acceptable photo ID and can’t find or obtain either a birth certificate or Social Security card – two documents required in order to get a free PennDOT-issued photo ID for voting. The new DOS ID is supposed to be issued on the same day an application is made.

MAYBE A FIRST IN THE A.G. RACE

The State GOP has held onto the Attorney General’s Office since it became an elected one in 1988. Polls show that may be coming to end, since Democrat candidate Kathleen Kane is holding a two-digit lead over Republican David Freed.

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