Solobay: Voter ID Goes from Bad Idea to Embarrassment
“In the end this circus will probably end up millions over budget,” state Sen. Tim Solobay said. “But, like everything else with voter ID, nobody seems to know.”
State Sen. Tim Solobay this week called Pennsylvania’s implementation of new voter ID requirements “embarrassing.”
Solobay’s comments come in the wake of five days of Commonwealth Court testimony that revealed a "stunning lack of preparation and knowledge on the part of Pennsylvania officials only 12 weeks before national elections."
“This was a bad idea and now we’re seeing a bad idea badly implemented,” Solobay, D-Canonsburg, said. “It’s embarrassing. Reports from the court testimony this week are being broadcast across the country and have made Pennsylvania a laughingstock.”
In an hour of testimony "marked by sarcasm and humor," Solobay said, Secretary of State Carol Aichele insisted that 99 percent of Pennsylvanians have a valid photo ID, in clear contradiction with news releases by her department and the sworn testimony of staffers.
On further questioning, Aichele said she didn’t agree with the analysis of her staff before admitting, “We don’t know.”
“We have our phones buzzing with concerned voters who have serious questions and our elections officials are disputing each other under oath,” Solobay said. “They might think this is some kind of joke, but it’s not funny.”
While the state’s top election official testified under oath that 99 percent of voters had proper ID, her department was mailing three quarters of a million letters to registered voters warning them that they may be disqualified from this year’s election, Solobay said. They included a state representative who has served in the Legislature for more than 20 years.
The news comes just more than a month after the governor signed a budget that cut millions of dollars from human service programs that support community programs for Pennsylvanians with mental and physical disabilities.
“The administration can’t find the money to help the disabled while it’s blowing millions playing Keystone Cops with the elections,” Solobay said.
During debate over the bill, supporters of the voter ID requirement predicted its cost would be nominal but, but nearly four months later, Solobay said officials still don’t know the size of the problem.
Solobay said his staff has made numerous attempts to distribute guidelines to address voter questions, but have had to recall information because election officials keep changing the requirements.
“In the end this circus will probably end up millions over budget,” Solobay said. “But, like everything else with voter ID, nobody seems to know.”
In This article
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State Senator Tim Solobay
68 E Pike St, Canonsburg, PA -
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Canonsburg Borough
68 E Pike St, Canonsburg, PA -
Lori
10:46 am on Friday, August 3, 2012
Not sure how these folks function without an ID. I had to use mine at simmons farm to pick peaches. This is not a bad idea, it's long over due. Things don't have to be complicated as they seem. When you get the government involved they can make a one car funeral complicated.
Concerned Citizen
11:36 am on Friday, August 3, 2012
I TOTALLY agree with Lori. There's not much you can do without an ID card, uh...except vote ! I agree that this is a long overdue way to ensure that there is no fraud associated with the voting in our US. Also agree with Lori that the government complicates everything, adds undo costs to everything, and is inept in executing anything. Look how well they have done with everything so far (sarcasm intended) !
Jerry D. Hill
1:26 pm on Friday, August 3, 2012
You got to be kidding. These Democrats are going to stumble all over themselves trying to say that there's no way it can be done. But, to say they're worried about being over budget is laughable. I've never known a Democrat politician that was worried about how and when they spent other people's money before.
proud American
1:22 am on Saturday, August 4, 2012
I f you didn't have these civil liberty groups sueing every time someone tries to pass a law it wouldn't be costing millions to fight it.
Amanda Gillooly
4:07 pm on Friday, August 3, 2012
Hey guys - thanks for the comments. I have covered this issue before - and would be happy to post more background links if that would be helpful to anyone! Just wanted to make the offer. Happy Friday and thanks again for reading!
jane
12:52 pm on Thursday, August 9, 2012
There is going to be a considerable amount of cost involved in this since the state is giving ID cards for free to those who have no other valid form of picture ID. In my opinion it is doing these people a favor since then they have a photo ID that they can use for other purposes as well, however it is going to be of significant cost to the taxpayers for the estimated more than 300,000 that do not have one. The question then is, with no incidence of voter fraud ever reported in PA, is this really worth it? My bet is that more than half that have no ID don't vote in the first place. A voter registration card has always been the requirement and seems to have worked just fine as there are no incidents. Then we have the idiot Rep. Turzai in a youtube video announcing the reason is basically to supress the vote and hand PA to Romney, this was even played on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart last night! What an embarassment for the state that we have what appear to be corrupt legislators running the state. The PA constitution states: "Elections shall be free and equal; and no power, civil or military, shall at any time interfere to prevent the free exercise of the right of suffrage." I do believe that this does prevent the free exercise thereof and interferes with certain people's rights to vote. Therefore, I am against this.