Group fighting Pa. voter ID law and organizing ‘just in case’

The group that mobilized against Pennsylvania’s voter ID law is gearing up for a two-pronged attack on what they call “vote suppression” in the state.

 Joe Certaine of the Pennsylvania Voting Rights Coalition says there is no reason to compel every voter to show photo ID before casting a ballot.

 “Advocates and defenders of the law still have not provided any evidence that in-person voter impersonation fraud is a problem in Pennsylvania,” said Certaine.

 Karen Beck of the Senior Law Center says the elderly are “supervoters” who come out every election, but are more likely not to have an ID.

 “We see obstacles placed in their path on the way to the voting booth and we’re very very concerned about it,” she said.

 The legal challenge to Pennsylvania’s voter ID law heads back to court next week. In the meantime the group is registering more people to vote and working to help those already registered get a photo ID.

The Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office has argued the commonwealth has worked to make it easy for people to obtain a photo ID, including offering an altertnative to a driver’s license for voting purposes.  

The court case may have a ruling in August.  It’s not clear whether that would pave the way for the law to be in effect for this fall’s election or be put off until 2014 when Gov. Tom Corbett is expected to run for re-election.