Pennslyvania Judge Strikes Down Voter ID Law

Pennslyvania Judge Strikes Down Voter ID Law
Published: 02 Oct, 2012
1 min read

In a ruling today, Commonwealth Court Judge Robert Simpson put the Pennsylvania voter ID debate to rest by ruling that voters in Pennslyvania will not have to show a photo ID to vote, at least for now. NBC News reports,

Simpson’s ruling means that the photo ID requirement won’t be in effect for the Nov. 6 election, but it may be in effect for future elections. His decision did not strike down the entire law; in fact he rejected efforts by those challenging to law to stop state officials from educating voters about the voter ID requirement.Simpson also said that those challenging the law have conceded that the part of the law which requires proof of identification for absentee voting does not harm would-be voters and may be implemented. Todd Wiseman / Texas Tribune

The ruling essentially mandates that a voter's "provisional ballot" cannot be invalidated because that voter refuses to show identification, but election officials still have the right to ask for an ID. It also leaves open the future of voter ID laws in Pennsylvania, postponing the debate to a non-election year.

This news might come as a disappointment to the majority of Pennsylvania registered voters, who favored voter ID laws in order to prevent alleged voter fraud. Among Republican leaders who might be disappointed is Republican House Majority Leader Mike Turzai, who admitted earlier this year that the Pennsylvania voter ID law “is going to allow Governor Romney to win the state of Pennsylvania."

What's your opinion on the ruling?

You Might Also Like

New IVP 2026 California Governor Poll: What the Toplines Don’t Tell You
New IVP 2026 California Governor Poll: What the Toplines Don’t Tell You
Using verified California voter file data, IVP surveyed high-propensity voters from February 13 through 20. The poll tested first-choice ballot preferences alongside issue intensity on affordability and the cost of living, immigration enforcement, more choice reform, and more....
23 Feb, 2026
-
10 min read
81% of Americans Say Money Controls Politics – Can a Constitutional Amendment Fix It?
81% of Americans Say Money Controls Politics – Can a Constitutional Amendment Fix It?
Polls consistently show that nearly all Americans across the political spectrum agree that there is too much money in politics – whether from foreign sources, corporations, or so-called “dark money” groups. ...
23 Feb, 2026
-
13 min read
10 Reasons Why the Congressional Stock Trading Ban Will Never Pass
10 Reasons Why the Congressional Stock Trading Ban Will Never Pass
The overlap between committee assignments and stock ownership is not automatically illegal. Because the current legal framework permits this proximity as long as disclosure rules are followed, lawmakers are not operating under a system that forces change....
20 Feb, 2026
-
4 min read