Pa. voters won’t have to show ID at the polls in November
In this September 2012 photo, a protestor holds a sign during the NAACP voter ID rally to demonstrate the opposition of Pennsylvania's voter identification law, which requires each voter to show valid photo identification. (Michael Perez/AP Photo, file)
Pennsylvania voters will not need photo identification to cast ballots in November’s elections.
A judge has issued a preliminary injunction of the voter ID law.
Voters can still be asked to show ID, but won’t be required to do so before voting.
The temporary block will continue until the Commonwealth Court judge issues a ruling on the law’s constitutionality, which is expected later this year.
Legal teams on both sides of the case had agreed to halting the law’s enforcement in the upcoming election.
Opponents wanted a longer block of the law, asking that any injunction be valid until a final ruling is handed down by the state Supreme Court.
That’s where the law is expected to end up.
Groups opposing voter ID say the requirement would disenfranchise thousands of Pennsylvanians who are less likely to have certain kinds of acceptable ID and unable to get it.
Commonwealth officials say they’ve met their burden for making such ID accessible to everyone.
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