Corbett Signs Voter-id Bill

Republicans say that it will combat voter fraud, but Democrats criticize it as an unconstitutional effort to suppress votes by people who traditionally support their candidates.

Democrats note that applying for supporting paperwork, such as birth certificates and passports, costs money, and that getting them takes months.

The bill also is opposed by AARP, the NAACP, labor unions and good-government groups.

The County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania said that systems already are in place to prevent duplicate or erroneous registration.

It warned lawmakers that adding the additional step of requiring poll workers to check photo IDs will lengthen lines at polls without the provision of extra security for ballots.

Pennsylvania law now requires identification from voters the first time they vote in a precinct, and that identification can include a government check or a utility bill.

The bill would require a photo ID, including many government employee photo IDs, student IDs from colleges and universities in Pennsylvania and IDs for people who live in elder-care institutions in the state, as long as they show a name, photo and expiration date that makes them current.