6 Percent of Lehigh County Voters Lack PA Photo ID
A Pennsylvania Department of State comparison of PennDOT and voter registration databases showed 13,025 Lehigh County voters do not have a PennDOT ID number.
Six percent of Lehigh County's registered voters do not have Pennsylvania driver's licenses or non-driver's license photo IDs that will be required for voting in the November presidential election, according to newly released state data.
Of the 216,828 registered voters in Lehigh County:
- 9,873 active voters do not have PennDOT ID numbers, the state said.
- 3,152 inactive voters -- those who have not voted since at least 2007 -- do not have driver's licenses or non-driver's license photo IDs.
With Pennsylvania's controversial Voter ID law set to take effect for the November general election, the Pennsylvania Department of State compared voter registration rolls and PennDOT databases to determine who had a PennDOT ID number. The Department of State released its findings county by county.
Democrats have argued the new Voter ID law, which will require voters to present proof of identification for every election, will disenfranchise voters without proper identification. Republicans counter it will fight voter fraud.
State lawmakers passed the legislation in March, and voters had a trial run in the May primary, when they were asked to present ID.
According to the Department of State comparison:
- 91 percent of Pennsylvania's 8,232,928 registered voters have PennDOT ID numbers, and 9 percent, or 758,939 voters, do not.
- Of the 9 percent who could not be matched between databases, 167,566 are inactive voters, meaning they have not voted since at least 2007.
All voters identified as not having a PennDOT ID number will be contacted by letter this summer, reminding them of the new voter ID law, what IDs are acceptable for voting purposes and how to get a free ID if they don't have one.
County election directors will also be provided with the names and addresses of voters in their counties who did not match any record in the PennDOT database.
In a prepared release, Commonwealth Secretary Carol Aichele said most Pennsylvanians have acceptable photo ID for casting ballots in the November election. “This comparison takes into account only voters with PennDOT IDs," she noted, "and does not include voters who may have any of the other various acceptable forms of ID.”
Other forms of identificaiton that will be accepted at the polls include identification from accredited Pennsylvania colleges or universities, Pennsylvania care facilities, military identification, valid U.S. passports, other photo identification issued by the federal or Pennsylvania government, or employee identification issued by the federal, Pennsylvania, or a county or municipal government.
All identification used for voting must have an expiration date and be current, except for Pennsylvania driver's licenses or non-driver photo identification, which are valid for voting purposes one year past their expiration. Retired military identification with an indefinite expiration date is also valid for voting purposes.
More information on the Voter ID law is available at VotesPa or by calling 1-877-VotesPa.
SWT Resident
8:01 am on Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Mary Ellen. Is there any way to determine of the voters who are ineligible to vote, how many are Democrats and how many are Republicans? I KNOW the Republican lawmakers are trying to avoid answering this question. I have been told to let it go. But I have to believe that given the importance of voting there has got to be a very accurate record somewhere. I would like to see this question answered state-wide to either prove the point of contention...or put the contention to rest once and for all.
Robert Nickisher
8:47 am on Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Oh well, there is no excuse not to have valid ID. PERIOD.
SWT Resident
9:09 am on Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Robert...with all respect meant and not to be a smart ass but...the only reason people have to have and use an ID today for most transactions is because the govt says you do OR they require institutions to follow a law written by the govt. that says they have to. Just wait until people start losing their ID's because they have to carry them 24/7 for more and more what use to be simple purchases. With messenger fees from a notary...because you will need your replacement ID the next day if you want to leave your house...you are looking at $50-$75 easily to replace a lost ID. As govt. intrudes more and more into our lives with their 'papers please' like Nazi Germany attitude...who are they protecting? As it says on TV....its my money and I want it now! Last time I walked into a bank and they asked me for ID...I told them my name is on the check, I know my PIN number, and my name is on the account. Now...give me my money. I would suggest the govt. worry more about the illegal immigration problem they are clearly side stepping if they want to stem the perceived problem of any type of fraud. It wasn't a problem 40 years ago. This nation is getting worse every time the govt sticks their nose in something and creates another law. The taxpayer ends up paying 1.5 times the actual value of the law.
John Fox
9:35 am on Wednesday, July 11, 2012
$50 to-$75 to replace your id? Really? I just recently lost my ID and it cost $10 to get it replaced.
Also I need to present my ID to purchase a firearm, and that is also a right guaranteed by the constitution. I need an ID to go to the doctor, and there are some who would argue that is a right.
But on the other side of the argument those who do not have ID's currently will get one free of charge now with the voter ID law, so now those people will have a free government issued ID which will allow them to access the laundry list of things that you need an ID for in today's world.
SWT Resident
10:05 am on Wednesday, July 11, 2012
John...I invite you to look on PennDOTS website (I did before I wrote my comment). Form DL-80 is required for a replacement non-comm DL and the cost without endorsements is $13.50. With class M for motorcycle, it is $18.50. If you can mail it and wait a week for a new camera card, then its only 45 cents more and basically because you need an ID for what will become everything in a few years...you will need to shut your life down for a week. If you use a messanger service to get it next day, then the added cost is $35 - $45 additional. If you got yours for $10...you got one hell of a deal. To posses BOTH a DL AND voter ID is against the law. The govt did this to control cost and justify the process.
For my neighbor who is 88 years old and has never missed a vote in 60 years...thankfully she gave up driving 7 years ago for her safety...and ours. Her DL ID is expired. She has no birth certificate of record. It will cost her $10 to get that BUT the normal $10 fee is waived if it is for a voter ID card. She still has to pay the $15 Fed Ex charge, though, for shipping. Who pays for birth cert? We do. So, no, the cost is not free. Plus...we taxpayers are paying as much as $4M in state money and $7M fed grant (still out of our pockets) towards the program; training for the poll sitters, birth cert repro, the ID's themselves, additional machinery required, etc. Again...you are paying for it but in typical govt fashion: without you knowing about it.
SWT Resident
10:15 am on Wednesday, July 11, 2012
John. Your right to own and bear arms is a FED right protected and guaranteed under the US Constitution. Your requirement to preset ID to purchase a firearm is a state law. Your requirement to have a concealed carry permit to carry a firearm on your hip, under your jacket, is by County. And in some counties in PA if you posses a carry permit you can not carry the firearm in the open (Phila.). You can be detained and possibly arrested for doing so. What a stupid law.
The states and fed need to get their act together and have ONE uniform law. But, at the same time, there is a law that protects states from having the feds pass and force a law on them. Unknowing people have been arrested for simple 'paperwork' infractions because of this lack of coordination between state and fed govt.
Lastly....the new voter ID card is ONLY to be used for voting. It CAN NOT...under penalty of law...be used for any other ID purposes.
PA does have a red ID card that can be used for all ID purposes. You can not use it for driving because it is not a DL. But you need to purchase that ID card and go through the same process as a DL. Perhaps that ID card is what you are referencing.
John...nothing is free when govt is involved or sets a mandate. When govt gets involved the cost is 1.5 times what it would normally cost.
Ron Beitler
10:38 am on Wednesday, July 11, 2012
I think it would be hard information to get.. but would be interested to see the % of this 6% who has voted at least one time in the last say... 5 elections. I would suspect that % is very very low.
Just would be curious to see.
SWT Resident
10:54 am on Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Ron..with the voter turnouts we've had the past elections...as low as 15%...as high as 22%...for local elections...yes, that is part of the problem with incumbents growing roots. But people's sentiments have grow to: it does not matter if I vote or not...it will be the same thing no matter who is in office. They just don't care anymore. The politicians know this, keep passing new rules for themselves all knowing they will not suffer the wrath of the people, and we the people call in deeper crap to try and get them out of office. I blame this on the institution called Harrisburg. Behind the scenes our elected reps are 'punished' or 'rewarded' for either voting against or with the head party hacks. This past election alone we've had two wonderful reps elected who will NOT be running for re-election to their next term! Why? They can't stand it. Both love working for the people. But as they said...they can not get anything done. Might as well fire all the elected officials in Harrisburg except the party heads. They call the shots. If you are against them...you suffer. If you are with them whether it is the right thing for your constituents or not...you are rewarded with a lofty extra position...and an extra paycheck. Harrisburg needs to be blown up and rebuilt. We, as the people, have very little power anymore. Totally backwards from the way it is suppose to be. Personally, I have never felt more helpless when it comes to my voting rights.
QED
11:46 pm on Wednesday, July 11, 2012
I am sure Ron Beitler is correct.
David Davies
11:05 am on Wednesday, July 11, 2012
dont any of these people work?
Rob Hamill
11:53 am on Wednesday, July 11, 2012
An official ID might keep the democratically controlled areas of Philadelphia from reporting a 100% turnout through voter fraud and make the rest of our votes possibly valid.
Sheila DuPree
12:01 pm on Wednesday, July 11, 2012
I will throw out there SWT that anyone who needs an ID pronto can contact their local legislator who can have it expedited and in the person's hands most likely no more than 2 days....sometimes sooner.
Just Sick and Tired
12:10 pm on Wednesday, July 11, 2012
How many of these "registered voters" don't exist and therefore don't have a licence to drive. Isn't this the point of showing ID
QED
11:45 pm on Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Good point!!!!!
Liberalism is a mental disorder
1:30 pm on Wednesday, July 11, 2012
You need an ID to vote in a union election... you need an ID to get into a Barry Obama event. You need ID for everything. You need it for voting too. Too lazy to get one? Don't vote. Can't afford it? Bullsh*t. Just a liberal excuse. I'll accept the liberal argument when ID is not needed for ANY liberal supported elections (unions) or events. Until then, if ID is needed for these item's, which are FAR less important then federal and local elections, we should have ID for elections.
And liberals just hate it because it cuts into the big city fraud machines they count on. Liberals suck.
QED
11:43 pm on Wednesday, July 11, 2012
If you examine the law you will see that there are many different types of ID that may be used. The PA Driver License is just one of many. The basic requirements are it needs to be a government issued ID with a picture not past the expiration date. The article does not provide data or statistics that reflect the actual number or percentage of registered voters that lack a proper ID.
Rich
5:17 am on Friday, August 17, 2012
Men marched for weeks without shoes, feet in rags and bleeding with Washington to have the right to vote. And someone cannot stand in line awhile to get an ID / register to vote? Our troops marched for hundreds of miles sweating with malaria, wounds and dysentery in the Civil War to protect the right to vote. But someone cannot ride to the ID center?. Men and women captured as prisoners of war have suffered in torture and made to stand for hours in the German snow or blazing Pacific sun - but someone cannot wait awhile in line to get a valid ID? Factory workers stood for 8- 12 hours every day for years to help our troops win the wars of freedom, but people think it is inconvenient and a real sacrifice of their time and muscles to have to stand awhile or sit in line to get a valid photo ID so their vote is countered properly. No more excuses of loss of time, or wear on the feet please. A tiny sacrifice of time and energy please to preserve the integrity of the vote after so many have sacrificed so much for your rights to have it count. If you are sick, there is an absentee ballot still available. But if you are able - go to wait a liitle while in line and get a photo ID and join all those who waited and protected our freedoms. While waiting remind others of all the time people stood, marched, suffered and spent in lines for this right to vote. Tough he little wait out.