Closer to 10% Lack Pa. Voter ID: Aichele

New report shows 758,000-plus voters lack the PennDOT photo ID that will be required to vote in the Nov. 2012 general election

The number of Pa. voters who don’t have the proper photo ID for the November general election is more than previously reported.

State officials now say more than 758,000 registered voters in Pennsylvania do not have photo identification cards from the state transportation department, leaving their ability to vote in November in doubt unless they have another acceptable form of identification

The Pennsylvania Department of State said Tuesday that 91 percent of the commonwealth's 8.2 million registered voters have PennDOT identification numbers

Officials noted that their review wouldn't pick up other acceptable identification such as a U.S. passport, military or government ID or student ID card with expiration date.

Secretary of the Commonwealth Carol Aichele has said previously that they believed that 99 percent of Pennsylvania voters already had the photo ID they will need at the polls in November.

The Philadelphia Inquirer says 18 percent of Philadelphia registered voters lack PennDOT ID. The estimate in Delaware County is that 10 to 12 percent of potential voters don’t have the needed document.

Pennsylvania's Republican-sponsored law is one of the nation's toughest and is being challenged in court as unconstitutional with a hearing scheduled in Commonwealth Court on July 25.

Democrats opposed the law. They also pounced on recent comments by Republican House Leader Mike Turzai, who said the changes will allow GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney to win Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania elections officials say they have removed a webpage that said non-photo identification can be used as Election Day proof of identity by first-time voters.

Department of State officials say they acted after The Associated Press pointed out the webpage Tuesday.

Spokesman Ron Ruman says the old law is still in effect for an Aug. 7 special election for a vacant state Senate seat in suburban Pittsburgh.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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