Judge Robert Simpson, who initially upheld the voter ID law earlier this year, changed his mind after being nudged last month by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to reconsider. The justices weren't satisfied that the new law would provide alternative forms of identification to voters who didn't have an ID. Simpson agreed Tuesday, ruling that voters wouldn't have enough access to IDs by November.
Simpson didn't invalidate the voter ID law, however, in fact allowing election workers to ask for an ID at voting sites. (Voters who don't have one will still be allowed to vote without having to cast a provisional ballot.) By not rejecting the law, Simpson is telling state officials that they need to come up with a way to get IDs in the hands of those who don't have them. That's essentially what federal and state judges have ruled in cases recently in Texas and Wisconsin.
As we said an editorial, the key is fairness. Lawmakers would have more credibility if their bills and laws addressed areas where fraud occurred more often, such as voter registration. But at the least, they should make sure legislation helps voters meet ID requirements by allowing alternative forms of identification such as utility bills and student IDs. If the idea is really to protect the vote, not exclude people from it, that's the appropriate route to take.
Peter St. Onge
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