Commonwealth Court Judge Robert Simpson has a second chance to do the right thing for Pennsylvania voters.
In August, Simpson denied a request to halt enforcement of the voter ID law for the November election. This decision was appealed.
Last week, all six judges on Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court agreed that the law, as enacted, disenfranchises registered voters from exercising their fundamental right to vote in the Nov. 6 election because of problems voters without a photo ID encounter in obtaining one.
Unfortunately, the court’s ruling did not take the necessary next step — to either enjoin the voter ID law from taking effect before the election or declaring it unconstitutional.
Instead, the Supreme Court ruling sent the matter back to Commonwealth Court, with instructions to review it again. This time, if the new Department of State voter ID cards are not readily and easily available to every registered voter who needs one to vote, Simpson has been instructed to issue a preliminary injunction. He must rule no later than Tuesday.
Hearings are being held in Harrisburg and, so far, about one-tenth of the estimated number of voter ID cards have been issued.
The right to vote comes with citizenship in this country, even if you don’t have a job, a driver’s license or money; it is fundamental to our democracy.
If he stops this law, Simpson will be glad he did.
Elizabeth Goreham State College
