Critics of the month-old voter-identification law are poised to challenge it in the courts and General Assembly. The American Civil Liberties Union says it will file suit over the law’s constitutionality by the end of April, and two Philadelphia Democrats are set to introduce a bill Tuesday that would repeal the controversial measure. “There is no basis for the law in the first place. No clear fraud across the state was ever demonstrated,” said Rep. Dwight Evans, who is to appear with Rep. John Myers at a news conference Tuesday at the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation office at 7121 Ogontz Ave. in West Oak Lane.
The ACLU, along with the NAACP, says it will sue on grounds the law discriminates against voters, especially the elderly, the poor, urban residents, and the disabled. “It will result in the disenfranchisement of thousands of legal Pennsylvania voters in order to combat virtually nonexistent voter fraud,” said Witold Walczak, legal director of the ACLU of Pennsylvania. The NAACP is lining up plaintiffs for the suit, said J. Whyatt Mondesire, president of the Philadelphia branch of the NAACP.
Gov. Corbett, who signed legislation in March making Pennsylvania the 16th state with a photo-ID requirement for voting (although several of those are being challenged and others have yet to take effect), said the law was aimed at protecting voters’ rights. Ron Ruman, spokesman for Secretary of State Carol Aichele, said Monday that he was not aware of a challenge to the law, but that the administration would defend the law.
Full Article: ACLU, NAACP will sue over Pennsylvania voter-ID law.