Voter ID Rules Keep Changing as Judge Hints at Injunction of Law
A few weeks ago, the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center and the Service Employees International Union sent 40 volunteers to 44 (of 71) Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) centers across the state in order to assess how simple or difficult it is to obtain a voter ID. This test-run analysis comes after months of incrementally liberalized access...
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DAILY GRINDER: Judge Says He May Block Voter ID Law
Commonwealth Court Judge Robert E. Simpson “hints” he may block the Pennsylvania voter ID law this time around. And by hints, I of course mean he flat-out said it. “I’m giving you a heads-up,” he told lawyers after yesterday’s testimony, according to the Inquirer, “I think it’s a possibility there could be an injunction here.” Gov....
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Will State’s Most Recent Voter ID Concession Convince Critics?
As the newest round of Voter ID hearings began this morning in Commonwealth Court, the state said it’s attempting to ease its identification rules, again. PennDOT officials noted today that applicants looking to get a new state ID to vote will now only have to make one trip to ID centers. While there, they can apply for a voting-only card, “and if there is...
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DAILY GRINDER: Voter ID Continues Today; Rally at Community College of Philadelphia
The Rock the Vote Bus is stopping today at the Community College of Philadelphia, encouraging students to register to vote. The stop will feature performances by Talib Kweli and Dice Raw. They’re going to be there from 12-4 p.m. and the event is open to the public. This is awesome, but I personally miss the “Vote or Die”/cake or death campaign...
Continue ReadingDAILY GRINDER: Watch Pa Legislators Debate Voter ID on Fox News
Pennsylvania State Sen. Daylin Leach and Rep. Mike Turzai recently debated the state Voter ID law on Fox News. I know it sounds like it’d be awesome (Leach had currently noted of Turzai’s support of Voter ID, “your ideas suck”), but it wasn’t actually that cool. It feels like they got cut off right as things were about to get out of control. Watch...
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Watch Sarah Silverman’s Voter ID PSA, Featuring PA Rep. Turzai
Comedienne Sarah Silverman has released a raunchy PSA regarding voter ID laws. “Hey black people, old people, poor people and students,” she says in the beginning of the video, “guess what you all have in common? Lawmakers are trying to fuck you in your assholes.” And there is a point: She then goes on to say new voter ID laws, like that in Pennsylvania,...
Continue ReadingState Rep. Metcalfe Says Voter ID Opponents ‘Too Lazy to Get Up and Get Out There’
During a radio interview Wednesday morning, Western Pennsylvania state Rep. Daryl Metcalfe managed to offend, well, basically everyone. He agreed with Mitt Romney’s ‘47 Percent’ comments, said low-income earners are “living off the public dole,” and called those who cannot obtain ID for voting “lazy.” “I don’t believe any legitimate voter that...
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PA Must Prove to Commonwealth Court That It Can Provide IDs by Election Day
There were a myriad of opinions when the Pennsylvania Supreme Court released its ruling on the state’s Voter ID case yesterday. Some claimed the court “blocked” the law (which is not true); others called the court’s decision to send it back to the Commonwealth Court a “punt”; and still others—mostly those against the bill—called this a moderate...
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DAILY GRINDER: Local Voting App Featured in PW Wins Award
The web app developed by Philly Voter activist Faye Anderson, Yo! Philly Votes, recently won 1st place in the first round of Hacks For Democracy, which sought to judge applications that could improve the fall election. Yo! Philly Votes was previously featured in Philadelphia Weekly as one of the best election apps this year. The app allows users to easily report...
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DAILY GRINDER: Terrance Williams Denied Clemency
Image: Change.org Convicted, condemned murderer Terrance Williams lost his clemency bid yesterday when the five member clemency board did not vote to unanimously spare his life. Clemens murdered Mt. Airy churchman Amos Norwood in 1984 during, it was then claimed, an alleged robbery. Since then, claims have been made that Clemens had been sexually abused by...
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