A dozen witnesses testified on Thursday about the hours-long waits, multiple trips and misinformation they experienced in getting the voter ID cards required under a Pennsylvania law that a judge will soon decide whether to block. On the second day of hearings called by Commonwealth Court Judge Robert Simpson, a parade of witnesses, including one in a wheelchair and another who walks with a cane, spoke about the hurdles they faced to get the cards before the November 6 presidential election. Simpson set a deadline of Friday for lawyers to submit documents, including their suggestions on what kind of injunction to issue should he find voters have less than “liberal access” to the IDs required under the battleground state’s new law. Simpson is expected to rule ahead of the October 2 deadline set by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court when it ordered him to reconsider the law he upheld in August.
National attention has been focused on the court fight over the law that was passed by the Republican-led legislature in March without a single Democratic vote. It requires voters to show a state driver’s license, government employee ID or a state non-driver ID card. Supporters say the law is aimed at ensuring that only those legally eligible to vote cast ballots. Critics say it is designed to keep minority voters, who typically vote Democratic, away from the polls. The state of Pennsylvania has acknowledged that there has never been a single case of in-person voter fraud, according to court testimony.
Full Article: Witnesses recall hurdles to get Pennsylvania voter ID | Reuters.