Politics & Government

Report: Judge Suspends Decision Over State Voter ID Law

Voters will not have to present photo identification at the polls in November.

This article was written by Jessica Sinichak and posted by Erin Faulk.

Voters in the Cranberry area won’t have to worry about presenting identification at the polls during the next election at least.

Commonwealth Court Judge Bernard McGinley on Friday ordered a continuance of the suspension of the Pennsylvania voter ID law until he makes a final decision on a legal challenge to the law, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

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Both sides in the case already have agreed voters will not be required to show photo identification at the polls in the upcoming November election, the newspaper reports.

The photo identification requirement became a law last March. However, voters in the next election were not made to show their ID at the polls after challenges in the courtrooms prevented the law from taking effect. 

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Instead, election workers informed voters they would be required to show ID at the next election.

McGinley on Friday ruled that while election workers may ask voters for ID, they no longer would have to tell them photo identification is required at the next election, according to the PG.

Supporters say the voter ID law will prevent voter fraud and imposes the same photo ID standard required in many common circumstances.

Challengers say the law is designed to disenfranchise poor and elderly voters who often support Democratic candidates. 

McGinley said the suspension on the law would continue until his court reaches an appealable decision, the PG reports.


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