By Tony Romeo

HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) — Pennsylvania’s top elections official has announced what’s being termed a “simplified” process for many people who need to obtain a photo ID under the state’s new voter ID law.

Pennsylvania secretary of state Carol Aichele says most senior citizens and others who have an expired Pennsylvania driver’s license or non-driver photo ID issued by PennDOT will not need to produce a birth certificate or other proof of ID when they go to a driver’s license center to get a free photo ID for voting purposes.

“If you have an expired license, you are already in the PennDOT system, and you had to produce proof of ID and residence when you originally got your license,” she explains.

Aichele says one exception might be people who have PennDOT licenses or IDs that expired prior to 1990.   In that case, the state will work with you, she says.

Call PennDOT at 1-800-932-4600 to see if you’re still in the system.

Read Cherri Gregg’s special report: Pennsylvania’s New Voter ID Card Law