Voting in Limerick Township and Beyond

There seems to be some confusion as to the election process on Tuesday, November 6th, at least here in Limerick Township.  On October 2, 2012, there was a preliminary injunction entered against the Pennsylvania Voter ID Law. The ruling states that the Pennsylvania Voter ID law is NOT in effect for the November 2012 election[1]. While it is scheduled to be revisited in December, it is not currently an enforceable law.   

According to the Limerick Township website, however, the law is in effect: http://www.limerickpa.org/pdf/administration/Voter%20ID%20Law.pdf. The information provided on the PDF on said website does not educate the population, for which the language of the ruling does allow.  Instead, the document states: “You MUST present one of the following forms of PHOTO ID when you go to your poll to vote:.”  This is FALSE information.   As the votespa.org website states:  “Voters will be asked, but not required, to show an acceptable photo ID on Election Day[i].” I cannot stress this enough, you will be asked for valid photo ID at your polling place on Tuesday, November 6, 2012, but you are not required by law to provide it. The only way you are required to show a form of valid ID, and not necessarily photo,  on Tuesday November 6th, is if you are a first-time voter. You can find out more about that here:  http://www.votespa.com/portal/server.pt?open=514&objID=1174125&mode=2.

The ability to cast a ballot in an election is a fundamental right of every citizen of the United States who is eighteen or older,  barring those with certain criminal convictions,  and should not be taken lightly. Misinformation that tramples on rights such as these, whether accidental or otherwise, further erodes our political system and does damage to communities.  As a citizen of Limerick Township and a concerned American, I ask Limerick Township to take this incorrect information off your website immediately.

[1] http://www.philly.com/philly/news/politics/presidential/Understanding_the_Pennsylvania_Voter_ID_ruling.html, http://www.forbes.com/sites/rickungar/2012/10/02/voter-id-law-in-pennsylvania-halted/, http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/02/politics/pennsylvania-voter-id/index.html

[i] http://www.votespa.com/portal/server.pt/community/home/13514