PA Young Dems Statement on Voter ID

received 6/24:

Pennsylvania Young Democrats Opposed to GOP’s Voter ID Scheme

Pennsylvania Republicans are at it again. If they get their way, all voters in the state will be forced to show a government-issued photo identification card each and every time they vote. Republicans claim this bill is necessary to curb voter fraud – but they can’t provide a single example of voter fraud occurring. This policy disproportionately targets the elderly, youth and underprivileged voters. The “fiscally conservative” Pennsylvania Republicans’ proposal could cost the state millions of dollars to enforce.

“Despite the fact that the prime sponsor and supporters House Bill 934 cite ‘voter fraud’ as the reason this legislation is necessary, the fact remains that they were unable to present any evidence that voter fraud was a problem in Pennsylvania,” said Pennsylvania Young Democrats President, Anthony Youngblood. “This is merely an attempt by the extreme right wing to disenfranchise voters. We, as members of the Pennsylvania Young Democrats believe that the right to vote is a fundamental right, and we believe that all Americans should be able to exercise that right without having to jump through hoops to do it.”

The Pennsylvania Young Democrats is standing up for voters across the Commonwealth in opposing this legislation -- House Bill 934. Nearly 20% of registered voters in Pennsylvania lack a photo ID and will be affected by this outrageous piece of legislation. Additionally, the school IDs issued at several public universities and colleges across the Commonwealth would not meet the criteria outlined in this bill, disenfranchising students who choose to study in Pennsylvania to further their education.

Ironically, while Governor Corbett’s solution for reducing the deficit has been to propose devastating cuts that will decimate the budget for public education across the Commonwealth, his fellow Republicans in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives are willing to invest millions of state dollars to put such a discriminatory bill into action. House Bill 934 will create additional costs to taxpayers, as the legislation calls for the Commonwealth to pay for the issuing of photo identification to indigent voters who currently lack it. States with similar voter identification requirements have been burdened with a cost of $4 million in the first year after enactment.

Because of those it will disenfranchise, and the cost to implement the plan, The Pennsylvania Young Democrats firmly opposes this bill. We urge House Republicans to begin putting the people – not their own political objectives – first.