Pa. natives will be able to get same-day voter ID from PennDOT

    Pennsylvania-born registered voters looking to get their photo ID before the November election will no longer have to make two trips to a PennDOT licensing center to do so.

    The Department of State says voters without copies of their birth certificates can have PennDOT verify their records with the state Department of Health without having to wait 10 business days.

    Zack Stalberg, president of the voter advocacy group the Committee of Seventy based in Philadelphia, says the change will help those who have trouble getting to the nearest licensing center.

    “So the idea that people can get a same-day ID card should really help this problem significantly,” he said Monday.

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    In the past, confirming birth records of Pennsylvania natives has required two trips to a PennDOT licensing center — one to request a search for the birth certificate, and another after the certificate has been found.

    The new, expedited records check won’t apply to voters born out of state.

    It will be implemented by next week.

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