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It's only reasonable to have another ID test run
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Regarding the remarks made by state House Majority Leader Mike Turzai at the Republican State Committee meeting, it is refreshing to finally have someone put truth to the lie about why the voter ID legislation was passed.
For those who may have missed it, Rep. Turzai included this legislation in a litany of accomplishments and claimed that it would allow Mitt Romney to win Pennsylvania. While this may or may not contribute to Gov. Romney's prospects in the commonwealth come November, it is in direct contradiction to previous rationales put forth on the subject by Republicans in Pennsylvania who supported the law. Indeed, it would seem they never heard of voter suppression.
This having been said, if it is not the desire to disenfranchise, either intentionally or inadvertently, citizens of Pennsylvania in the upcoming election, why not use this election as a further test run, as was done in May? Have the poll workers ask voters for identification, but if they do not have it, allow them to vote anyway and allow that vote to count without their having to later produce identification. This would allow us to see how this procedure would work during what promises to be a very high turnout election without creating long lines as the kinks are worked out and risking the possibility of voters leaving the polling place before casting their ballots.
This would seem to be a reasonable compromise. If, however, the possibility of massive voter fraud in the upcoming election is so real that implementation of voter ID cannot be put off, I, for one, would first like to see the examples of past occurrences. That is not an unreasonable request.
DAVID WASSEL
White Oak
First Published July 6, 2012 12:00 am
