I can tell you where I vote, there is such a lax attitude in the past, almost any male could have come in an voted using my name and signature (I scribble my signature.) I am positive that some people allowed others to do this in their name as I have heard them first hand say so. Also, how many people know that their voter registratiion card is actually useless becuase you don't have to show it not even have it with you. Let's ee you drive leagally without a license, registration card, plates, or insurance. When is the priveldge of driving a car less important that a person's actaul guaranteed freedom to vote and have it not countered by an illegaly vote.

Here we go again, what is the big freakin deal???? where don't you have to show an ID. And correct me if I am wrong but can't you get a free ID in PA ??? enough of stirring the pot.

So the possibility of potential voter suppression of 750,000 citizens by one political party towards another isn't more troubling to you then the possibility that one persons in a million commits voter fraud? It's not about how simple it is to get a proper ID to vote, it's the intent of the legislation that is the question. It smacks of discrimination and out right corruption.

I'll tell you what the big deal is...There was no problem and the legislature spent millions of taxpayers dollars to fix something that wasnt broken..It's a real hassle trying to get an ID in Pa. ( See Bill White's recent column in MCall) Worst of all , the specific intent was to defranchise voters of one party..That's cheating..Period!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's not enough that they have billions of dollars flowing into their coffers thanks to "Citizen's United" but ontop of that they have to still cheat to win..How Pathetic is that???

If polled and maybe thats what patch should do is poll they readers, but who doesn't have ID. You need it for everything nowadays, from cashing a check, driving a car, getting on a plane, getting your welfare check, picking your son or daughter up from daycare, going to the Dr. how do you function without one. And I am so sick and tired of hearing about the cheating, If the current president was doing a bang up job there would be no worry about getting him re-elected. He is doing a terrible job and should be replaced, just like the last one. And if you want to argue about what a great job he is doing have at it. I am neither republican or democratic so I have no skin in the game. voter ID just makes sense to me.

The same people who object to voter I. D. put in place an I.D. requirement to see your doctor. They have also implemented a voter I.D. at the Democratic National Convention where all the delegates must have photo identification. This entire complaint about voter I.D. is nothing more than a hypocracy and an attempt to make sure that voter fraud will continue.
P.S. Anyone who grew up and voted in Philadelphia, as I did, knows that voter fraud happens all the time.

Yea Aurthur, It happens so often that no one noticed..Give me a break..Are you that freaking stupid??? It cost millions to put this law into effect and the only reason it was done was to suppress the vote..Thank God the Republican rep finally admitted that...Geez people , are you that ignorant, really??

Frightwingslayer: It would not have costs millions if honest people would simply put the law into effect without the needless challanges. It is only logical that people have ID to vote. The people who want to protect voter fraud are challanging vote ID everywhere. This will not stop voter fraud completely because it will not stop party functionaries from casting votes for people who don't show up at the polls. It does happen in some places and anyone who denies it is either naive or just ignoring facts.

With all the fraud, with all the Identity theft that has been prevalent for the last 10 years I wonder why some would get so upset over Voter Id's. What are they trying to hide I wonder? I can't pass a check, even to people who know me, without my ID. Can't take a medical test (MRI) without ID. Can Fly on a plane without ID. OMG Just what is the big deal anyway ???? What are you in fear of ??

http://www.aim.org/special-report/the-lefts-national-vote-fraud-strategy-exposed/

I remember seeing something here (last month?) about the Easton Republicans putting on a seminar to help folks get ID and was offering rides to Democrats, Republicans and even Communists.
Doesn't sound like disenfranchisement to me.
It's the law; more than half of all states have elected governments that enacted this legislation.
Quit whining, fer pity sake. Just get an ID, so you'll be able to buy a beer at the next Heritage Day.

Time to get the 20% voter fraud out of the democratic Philly precincts that all have 100% turnout, They have been throwing rigged elections forever backed by democratic party bosses and corrupt precincts. Hurray for the sanctity of my vote!!!

It is only a sham to those who use illegals to win elections

That is nieve :)

I don't see a problem with requiring ID. I only wonder why it took so long to do this.
Yes, I have to show my ID everywhere just like everyone else does.
Instead of complaining about it, get up off your couch if you don't have one and do it before November comes around.

Is every Patch writer a liberal. God this is exhausting. I guess conservatives are too busy working and can't and don't have time to write columns. I guess this is where all the unemployed journalism majors hang out.

Ya, it will allow Romney to win by suppressing the KEY fraud vote from Philadelphia and other areas.

To claim that there is no fraud because there are no convictions is naive. If a political machine/party "owns" the county who is going to prosecute, let alone file a complaint? There are reports of unusually high voter turnouts and numbers that don't match up in PA precincts but I guess these reporters didn't want anything getting in the way of the "sham" sensationalism slant of their piece.
http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2012/04/20/philly-election-officials-take-up-gop-complaints/

I remember, while in Philadelphia, some voting districts had more people voting Democrat than there were registered voters in the district!

"The stunning high numbers of voters involved evoke sordid memories of voters suppression techniques practiced in the American South in the pre-civil rights era."

Jeepers Cats, Daryl...can't you find better arguments than using the same tired tactics liberal "journalists" always use? Trying to associate racism to requiring an ID to vote? Really?

Daryl Nerl - You wrote that driving is a "privilege earned when you obtain a license." Not that this comment is related to voter ID, and I'm not disputing that what you wrote is the case, but I would like to ask you something. At this time, no "license" is needed to walk down the street. No "license" is needed to ride a bike down the street. Why then, the Constitutional right to pursuit of happiness which includes freely traveling about still being in place, is a "license" needed when one uses something with a motor in it to travel down the street?

While so many people are asking for proof of this or that …
Would someone please show me how this affects either party more than the other?

A+++ to authors for last segment. NOW is not the time (if ever) to suddenly implement a law like this. Thank you, Terry & Michael !!!!!

Thank you Patch for a terrific piece exposing the facts on the Republican effort to steal votes. Now the Republicans should be required to pay back every cent that has been wasted passing, enforcing, and defending what should have been obvious from the beginning. If we can't retrieve the cash thrown away on this, we should use our votes to pitch out the Republicans legislators that put the law in play.