Memo to Corbett administration on disenfranchising voters may figure in Pa. voter ID trial

Testimony is under way in the court case over Pennsylvania’s voter ID law that requires voters to show certain photo identification before casting their ballots.

 

Lawyers challenging the measure have referred to, but not presented, a memo they say will show the Corbett administration was warned by state agencies the law would disenfranchise elderly and disabled voters.

Talk of the memo is just a claim, according to Nils Hagen-Frederiksen, a spokesman for the attorney general’s office, arguing on the governor’s behalf.

“We’ll address the evidence as it comes up. But the directives have been clear from this administration, from the governor, from the secretary of state, and others, again, anyone who’s eligible to vote in Pennsylvania and who needs a photo ID in order to do that can get one and can get one free of charge,” he said Monday.

Challengers say the voter ID law goes against the state’s constitution because it does not guarantee that every eligible voter has photo ID.

Lawyers for the state say the commonwealth has met its burden by making such IDs accessible.

The law was passed to eliminate voter fraud, but in past proceedings, commonwealth attorneys have acknowledged they cannot point to any such cases.

The trial is expected to last about two weeks.