Voter ID At Election Polls Bill Pushed By Bucks Co. Lawmaker

BENSALEM TOWNSHIP, PA — State Rep. K.C. Tomlinson has co-sponsored legislation that would require identification to be shown at the polls during future elections in Pennsylvania.

House Bill 771 would require a registered voter to show an acceptable form of ID that matches the name listed at his or her polling place before a ballot is cast. If the voter cannot produce an acceptable ID, the voter can affirm his or her identity in writing.

“Voter ID is common sense and overwhelmingly supported by a majority of Pennsylvanians. These are the things we are sent here to accomplish, and it’s about time we get it done,” said Tomlinson, the Bensalem-based legislator.

The legislation was co-sponsored with State Reps. Tom Mehaffie (R-Dauphin) and Frank Burns (D-Cambria).

House Bill 771 was referred to the House State Government Committee.

Voters in Pennsylvania currently are required to show identification the first time they cast a ballot in a polling place, and voters who apply to vote by mail provide a state-issued identification number, the last four digits of their Social Security number, or a copy of one of the other forms of acceptable identification.

Some 81 percent of respondents in a nationwide survey told Pew Research they support requiring people to show government-issued photo identification to vote.

The representatives said the Legislature can no longer ignore the plentiful voices calling for voter ID, saying identification requirements would give voters more confidence in the fairness and accuracy of elections.

“It is important to encourage regular and robust voting to protect the very foundation of our constitutional republic,” Mehaffie said. “I feel people would be more likely to vote if they had increased confidence in our electoral system. This legislation offers numerous forms of acceptable ID and an alternative for the voter to affirm his or her identity, so we meet our constitutional obligation to ensure every voter has the right to vote.”