I have been very concerned about the jihad the Republicans have been waging on the voting population. Here in Pennsylvania, we have a new voter ID law and the many do not know what it is or how they will be affected by the change. Many aren't even aware there is a change. I want to do voter registration in my area so I need to know exactly what the requirements are for voting in Pa. I want to make sure the disinfranchised can and will vote. The groups most affected by the changes are groups that have the most difficulty voting in any circumstance. The young away at school, the elderly, the poor, the handicapped. To get the information I visited my county voting office and was helped by two fantastic women.
I began by asking for voter registration forms stating my intention of helping those who do not have valid ID. Pa's new law states that everyone must have a driver's license or a state issued ID. The ID's are available at the PennDOT driver locations. Sounds reasonable until you factor in that many live far away from the license locations and that many people do not have their birth certificate. Two forms of ID are neccesary to get the license or the ID. Barricades number 1 and 2.
The women at the courthouse told me that if one wants to make sure that they are registered to vote they may send in the registration form to assure they are on the voter rolls. Then all they need is the ID.
I am planning on doing voter registration but I think the more important service is to get people out to the driver's license center to get ID. Here is a list of locations in Pa.
Driver's License and Photo ID Centers
Photo id requirements
ID's cost $13.50 and must be paid by check or money order. No cash. You must have two forms of ID. Here is the pdf listing all requirments for identification and residency.
Here is the parent site, DMV, proof of identity and residency
The easiest thing to do is to vote by mail. The women at the courthouse showed me the application to obtain an absentee voting form. To complete it you need to write in your driver's license ID number or your photo ID number or the last 4 digits of your social security number. This makes life easiest for the elderly and the handicapped. This is the information we need to get out to the public. Vote by mail.
site for information on absentee voting
There is a link for uniformed and oversees civilian voters. There is a separate link for everyone else. I want to put a copy of the pdf file but I can't figure out how to do that.
To help a person vote by absentee ballot download the application by following the link from the Pa voter service site. Help the person fill it out and send it in by October 10, 2012. They will receive a ballot in the mail. They must fill it out and send it in promptly. It must be received by the state by November 2, 2012. I will be helping anyone I give the absentee voter application to in getting their ballot in on time. That will be a crucial point in the process because people forget and procrastinate.
Here are the sites I used to get this information.
Voter information
This site gives voting locations, relevant dates for all issues in voting and other info.
Absentee voter information and applications
Driver's License Centers and information
Anyone interested in helping people vote can go out on their own and register and help people obtain proper ID or absentee voter applications. You can also go to the local Obama office and join up with others interested in doing the same. This is vital to President Obama's reelection. The disenfranchising of parts of the voting population is a plan put in place by the Republicans to win the election. I mean to foil them in my tiny part of the state. I hope many of you will do the same in yours.
Update: from JamieG in Md
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania's State Department is creating a special photo ID cards for voters who are unable to obtain birth certificates or other documents for a non-driver ID issued by the Department of Transportation.
Secretary of State Carole Aichele said Friday the new card will be available through PennDOT starting the last week in August. The card is free and valid for 10 years.
Voters who lack a state driver's license or other ID acceptable under Pennsylvania's tough new voter ID law
still must apply initially for a free ID from PennDOT
.
Those who are unable to get one of the required documents — usually a birth certificate — should qualify for one of the new State Department cards.
Aichele says the new cards will be a "safety net" for voters.
http://www.wytv.com/....
This a welcome aid in voting but people still need to get to the centers.
Update 2: Brennan Center for Justice has this for students voting in Pa:
Students voting in Pa
This gives the rules, the acceptable identification and the process a student must use to vote in Pa.