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Governor Tom Corbett Signs Voter ID Law
Governor Tom Corbett last evening signed legislation that will require all voters to produce a photo ID starting with the November general election. The governor signed the bill the same day it received final legislative approval following three days of emotional floor debate in the state House of Representatives.
The new law takes effect immediately and will be rolled out on a test basis for the primary election on April 24th. Come November, however, the ID requirement will be in place on a permanent basis. Supporters say the effort will help crack down on voter fraud, but critics say it’s a solution for a non-existent problem that will disenfranchise many voters, especially the poor and the elderly.
Acceptable forms of ID at the polling place will include a driver’s license, a student ID issued by a Pennsylvania college or university or an ID from a Pennsylvania care facility.
Opponents are vowing to challenge the new law in court.
As part of the law, PennDOT will issue free photo IDs to anyone in need of such identification for voting, but applicants would need to supply the department with proper documents, such as a birth certificate. That service is already available today according to Governor Corbett. A public information campaign is also getting underway.
President Obama’s re-election campaign issued a statement overnight criticizing Pennsylvania lawmakers for “passing a costly bill to address a non-existent problem.”
Poll: Santorum has Big Lead in Pennsylvania
Fresh off of primary victories in Alabama and Mississippi, a new poll shows former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum virtually running away with the Keystone State. Today’s Quinnipiac Poll of Pennsylvania Republicans shows Santorum netting 36% support compared to Mitt Romney’s 22%. In a head-to-head matchup, Santorum clobbers Romney in Pennsylvania 53 – 32%. “Pennsylvania Republicans are turning to their native son, former Sen. Rick Santorum,” says pollster Tim Malloy. But it’s in stark contrast to the December Quinnipiac Poll that showed Santorum with mere 9% support in PA.
On the same day as the release of the Q-Poll, the Romney campaign announced that former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge is throwing his support behind the former Massachusetts governor.
Pennsylvania’s current Republican governor, however, remains neutral in the race. “I will certainly be active once we have the nominee at the convention and thereafter,” Gov. Tom Corbett explains. “What role I play before the primary still remains to be seen.”
Santorum has named longtime Corbett political adviser Brian Nutt as his Pennsylvania State Campaign Director. “Do not read anything into that,” Corbett says.
But Corbett does remind all Pennsylvanians to never underestimate Rick Santorum. “I think if I polled you all, he has gone much further than anybody sitting on those chairs right there ever anticipated that he would go,” Corbett told reporters who were gathered in the Governor’s Reception Room for a briefing on an upcoming trade mission.
Corbett Would Waste No Time Signing Voter ID Bill
Citing 87% public support, Governor Tom Corbett says he would sign Voter ID legislation as soon as it gets to his desk. “I look at it this way, it ensures one man, one vote,” Corbett says. The bill being so hotly debated in the House would require all voters to show an approved form of photo ID every time they go to the polls.
The January poll from Terry Madonna Opinion Research indicates that 47.2% of statewide voters “strongly favor” requirements that voters show a drivers license or other state issued identification before they can vote. 39.6% “somewhat favor” the concept.
Gov. Corbett addressed the media on Tuesday.
Next months’ primary would be a dry run, and the Voter ID bill would be enforced for the first time this November. While critics balk that it’s too fast of an implementation, Corbett disagrees. “This has been the subject of discussion for a number of years. We have an election coming up. Let’s get it done,” Corbett says. “Quite honestly you could ask the question in reverse, Why not get it done?”
The governor’s budget plan sets aside $1-million to provide funds to issue non-drivers license identification cards to any voter who declares it necessary for voting purposes. Democrats, however, argue that the actual cost of implementation would be $11-million.
As of the time of this post, the House was still debating the bill. If it concurs in Senate amendments, the House would send the bill directly to Corbett’s desk.
Governor Corbett Heads Overseas This Month
As Pennsylvania’s St. Patrick’s Day festivities begin winding down, Governor Tom Corbett’s international trade mission will be ramping up. Corbett is leading a trade mission to France and Germany, two of the state’s most important trade partners.
“The goals are to establish a stronger tie with our trading partners that we already have that do business here in Pennsylvania from France and Germany, but also to look for more people to come over and do business here in Pennsylvania.” Corbett said on Radio PA’s Ask the Governor program.
Combined, French and German companies already employ 53,400 people in the Keystone State. Corbett thinks they can entice more foreign companies to invest in Pennsylvania based on its cheap power supplies and strong workforce. “We’re making ourselves much more business friendly than we were before,” he adds.
Site Selection magazine has ranked Pennsylvania third in the nation with 453 new or expanded corporate facilities in 2011, according to a recent news release from the governor’s office. That’s an increase of more than 100 projects from 2010.
Corbett will be joined on the trade mission by a delegation of Pennsylvania business leaders. The mission is being privately funded and organized by the Team Pennsylvania Foundation.