Liberal Group Says PennDOT Making Process To Get PA Voter ID Difficult
By David Madden
HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) - A liberal watchdog group based in Harrisburg has issued a report that criticizes how Pennsylvania officials are making ID's available for voters in advance of the November election.
That's when a new law, which is currently being challenged in court, will require valid identification cards from anyone seeking to vote.
The Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center director Sharon Ward says volunteers went to about 60 percent of PennDOT's license centers.
While most had some information available, Ward points out that getting it wasn't easy.
"Some voters were told that there was no free ID. Other voters were given the wrong forms."
And some found an office closed the first time they tried.
State officials say PennDOT staffers have been trained on the law and there will be a new ID card available late this month.
Deputy secretary for safety administration Kurt Myers says this new card will fit the bill.
"This will be an ID that will be used for voting purposes only," he said.
Also, you won't need all the documentation required for a secure driver's license.
A major publicity campaign is planned in September.
