Judge again blocks Pennsylvania voter ID law...for now
(CNN) - A Pittsburgh judge on Friday barred enforcement of Pennsylvania's voter-identification law for the Nov. 5 general election, as well as any election that may come before.
State Judge Bernard McGinley's preliminary injunction means Pennsylvania will again go the polls with no enforcement of the law - a different judge made similar ruling a month before the 2012 presidential election.
In fact, the controversial law has never been implemented; it has languished in a legal limbo since Republican Governor Tom Corbett signed the bill into law in March of 2012.
Friday's injunction is part of ongoing litigation trying to settle the matter - and agreed to by both parties. McGinley noted that he had not ruled on the voter ID law one way or the other only that the upcoming election was too close not to put off a ruling. He intends to rule before any elections after those this November for judicial, municipal and state legislature offices.
Gov. Corbett did not object to Friday's ruling.
"During this summer’s trial regarding Pennsylvania’s Voter ID law, we made it clear to the court that the Commonwealth did not object to delaying the full implementation of photo ID requirements until after the November municipal election,” Nils Hagen-Frederiksen, Corbett’s press secretary, said in a statement. “Judge McGinley's Order is consistent with our position.”
Pennsylvania is one of 31 states with some form of voter ID measure in place; and one of only a handful that require it to be a photo ID.
"We are very pleased that hundreds of thousands of eligible voters will be able to cast ballots in upcoming elections regardless of whether or not they have required identification," Jennifer Clarke of the Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia - one of a number of several plaintiffs challenging the law - said in a statement.
Supporters argue the law once implemented will prevent voter fraud.
“I’m disappointed,” said Horace Cooper, director of the National Center for Public Policy Research's Voter Identification Task Force. But Cooper says he remains enthusiastic because “the delay has nothing to do with the merits of the law,” he told CNN, only with the process of its implementation.
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LOL....today's GOP is mere shell of its former relevant self. Everytime the GOP/Tea folks plans are published, they lose rationale folks. Soon it will be just the extremist standing at the Republican Nat. Convention....crickets as he spoke
If you can win it fair and square GOP/Tea Trolls...you'll just lose with dignity – right? ok, forget the word "dignity" which is a contradiction to your party practices. ho hum
"We are very pleased that hundreds of thousands of eligible voters will be able to cast ballots in upcoming elections "
The GOP/Teatrolls are most certain NOT.
So the next election is over a year away; please explain to me how it is so hard to get an ID with so much advanced notice?
They should appeal that decision, and stop allowing corrupt judges to stand in the way.
North Carolina is next for an injuction
First of many useless and venal voter intimidation laws that will be struck down. North Carolina, you're next.
Next up it the Voter ID laws in North Carolina. Those laws do disenfranchise minority and young college age voters
Sure this voter I'd law is idiotic, draconian. I am glad he struck down. It impedes and descriminates.
Notice that Democrats fight bitterly for the too-dumb-to-get-an-ID voter. And yet they continue to claim that Dems are so much more intelligent than Republicans.
Democrat politicians depend on the votes of the stupid and the fraudulent votes of the illegally-here foreigners.
Republicans: once again on the wrong side of history....
What's more un-American than the GOP's blatant efforts to suppress American's right to vote? It's no wonder Americans despise the GOP, they're worse than Al Queda.