Tuesday, March 5, 2013
State representatives Frank Dermody and Mike Hanna submit a column to the Plum-Oakmont Patch.
- GOVERNMENT
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Tuesday, March 5
By state Rep. Frank Dermody and Rep. Mike Hanna Dermody is an Oakmont resident and represents the 33rd legislative district, which includes Oakmont and a portion of Plum. Here we go again. Just as we begin deliberations on some of Pennsylvania’s most pressing issues, Republican leaders in the General Assembly have chosen to place their political party above the interests of Pennsylvanians. Last year, it was the sham voter ID law. This year, we have a brand-new effort to rig presidential elections. Senate Bill 538, sponsored by a gang of 13 Republican state senators, would distribute 18 of Pennsylvania’s 20 electoral votes proportionally based on how presidential candidates performed statewide. The remaining two electoral votes would be …
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Poll workers can ask for your photo identification but you still can cast your ballot without it.
One of the provisions of Commonwealth Court Judge Robert Simpson's ruling on the state’s voting law will permit poll workers to ask for photo identification but allows voters to cast a ballot without subsequently having to show their ID. Simpson ruled Oct. 2 that Pennsylvania's tough new Voter ID Law should be put on hold until after the Nov. 6 general election. His decision strikes down two provisions of the law that would have required voters without identification to show their IDs within six days of voting or appear before the county board of elections. The state will still be allowed to educate voters about the new identification requirement. Supporters argue that the law signed by Gov. Tom Corbett in March will prevent voter fraud. …
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Commonwealth Court judge rules after hearing two days of testimony. An appeal to the state Supreme Court is possible.
A judge ruled today that Pennsylvania's tough new Voter ID Law should be put on hold until after the Nov. 6 general election, according to an Associated Press report. The ruling can be appealed to the state Supreme Court, which said it would expedite any further action in the case since Election Day is just five weeks away. Do you agree with the ruling? Tell us in the comments section below. Commonwealth Court Judge Robert Simpson heard two days of testimony last week, as directed by the Supreme Court, to determine whether the state has made it easy enough to get a photo ID in order to vote. Opponents say the law disenfranchises voters—especially the young, poor and elderly, who tend to vote for Democrats. Supporters say the law will …
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
In order to get the state-issued Voter ID card, an individual need only give his or her name, date of birth, social security number and address. The Voter ID will be given at the PennDOT licensing center the same day.
State officials announced earlier this week that all voters can choose to receive either secure PennDOT photo IDs or Department of State voting-only ID cards when visiting a PennDOT driver’s license center. In order to get the state-issued Voter ID card, an individual need only give his or her name, date of birth, Social Security number and address. Proof of residence is not required. PennDOT will then confirm with the Department of State that the applicant is a registered voter while the person is at the driver license center. The applicant will get a DOS voter ID card once the information is confirmed. If an applicant’s voter registration or information cannot be confirmed while at PennDOT, then the Department of State will mail the …
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Allegheny County is offering free Photo ID cards for any residents who need one to vote.
Allegheny County is offering two new ways for voters without proper Photo ID to get identification cards. The Community College of Allegheny County and the county’s four Kane Hospital centers will be the hubs to issue specialized photo identification to any residents if they need one to vote. Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald on Thursday morning announced the effort to get as many residents proper identification. “I firmly believe that anyone who wants to participate in our democracy through elections should have every opportunity to do so. That is what we are doing today,” Fitzgerald said in a press release. “Through our Kane Regional Centers and CCAC, we are going to provide the ability for people to get the photo identification…
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
The state Supreme Court is pushing the Voter ID law back to Commonwealth Court for further review.
The state Supreme Court is pushing Pennsylvania's new Voter ID law back to Commonwealth Court for further review, multiple news organizations are reporting. A week after hearing oral arguments, the justices voted 4-2 to have the lower court once again review the measures included in the law. Commonwealth Court Judge Robert Simpson on Aug. 15 released his decision that parties challenging the Voter ID law were not able to prove it will cause “immediate and irreparable harm” to the electorate. However, the justices want the court to reconsider whether there are enough alternative forms of identification allowed by the law so as not to disenfranchise voters, according to PennLive.com. The order from the Supreme Court justices insinuates that …
Thursday, September 13, 2012
A local group plans to present petitions on Thursday in downtown Pittsburgh calling on Allegheny County election officials not to enforce the new voter ID law this November.
Opponents of Pennsylvania's new voter ID will make their case Thursday before the state Supreme Court. There's no timeframe for a ruling from the court—but the Nov. 6 General Election is fast approaching. Oct. 9 is the last day to register to vote. The Supreme Court is composed of three Republican and three Democratic justices (a seventh judge was suspended while she faces criminal charges). A 3-3 tie would affirm the decision of the lower court, according to a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette report. Commonwealth Court upheld the law in August. Supporters say the law will prevent voter fraud and imposes the same photo ID standard required in many common circumstances. Challengers say the law is designed to disenfranchise poor and elderly voters …
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Commonwealth Court Judge Robert Simpson on Wednesday morning released his decision that parties challenging the Voter ID law were not able to prove it will cause 'immediate and irreparable harm' to the electorate.
Pennsylvania’s new voter identification law will stand … for now. Commonwealth Court Judge Robert Simpson on Wednesday morning released his decision that parties challenging the Voter ID law were not able to prove it will cause “immediate and irreparable harm” to the electorate. The challenge to the law was brought by voter advocacy groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union and the NAACP. The groups suing to overturn the law immediately vowed to appeal the judgment. “The court had a chance to intercede the PA legislators’ attempt to suppress the vote on Election Day,” said Benjamin Todd Jealous, president and chief executive officer of the NAACP regarding the ruling. “However, with today’s decision and the estimated amount of …
Saturday, August 11, 2012
The petition has already garnered more than 2,000 signatures.
More than 2,000 people have already signed a petition created by an area teacher urging Allegheny County's elections manager not enforce the new statewide voter ID law. The recently enacted law mandates that each voter present a valid photo ID on election day at the polls, a stipulation that opponents have said will ultimately prevent the poor, the elderly, and people of color in Pennsylvania from voting. "These demographic groups typically lean Democratic and local state Rep. Mike Turzai,R-Allegheny County, went so far as to admit that the voter ID law would 'allow Governor Romney to win the state of Pennsylvania," petition organizer Steven Singer said in a statement. "The law is purportedly intended to prevent voter fraud, a problem that…
Thursday, August 2, 2012
The state representative from Oakmont, who opposes the law, received a letter from the state identifying him as possibly not having a valid photo ID.
House Democratic Leader Frank Dermody is saying that the state's new voter ID law could prevent thousands residents—including himself—from voting in the upcoming general election. On Tuesday, the state representative from Oakmont said the Pennsylvania Department of State is failing to adequately warn voters who might lack the photo identification required to vote this November under the new law (Act 18) that is currently being challenged in Commonwealth Court. “Last week, I received a letter from the department, the agency that is implementing the new photo ID requirements,” Dermody said in a press release. “The form letter, addressed to ‘Dear Fellow Voter,’ simply talked about the new photo ID law and gave instructions for contacting …
The Frustrated Pragmatist
10:43 am on Friday, March 8, 2013
Keep the dream alive Ooty Cat. In the mean time, I will continue to support the Electoral College System and the voice it gives individual States. I will continue to believe I live in the United States of America. A place where our only national elected office is a President who is supposedly equal in power to the Congress of the States. more ›