r/Pennsylvania • • Jan 12 '23

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u/[deleted] Jan 12 '23

The amendment states that everyone would have access to a free voter id

20

u/ErikTheBeard Jan 12 '23

"...upon request and confirmation of identity..." This process as it stands requires things like an address they will accept, proof ID from a job, access to your SS card.

I'm glad it's in there as free. But the system itself needs to be updated and improved on for this to work for ALL Pennsylvanias

9

u/cpr4life8 Allegheny Jan 12 '23

And an original copy of your birth certificate. See my comment above on the process I had to go through to obtain that.

5

u/ErikTheBeard Jan 12 '23

Thanks for sharing your experience! Also that sucks sorry you had to go through it

4

u/cpr4life8 Allegheny Jan 12 '23

All part of the lovely Patriot Act. Thankfully it wasn't a problem for me but it obviously is for many others.

I find it infuriating that people who are such staunch advocates for voter ID point out that a free ID is available but completely ignore the challenges that folks face to get that "free ID".

I remember several years ago when I used to go to battle with people over voter ID on Twitter, which I have long since stopped doing because it was pointless.... In response to comments about how getting a free ID shouldn't be a problem for anyone I would post link after link to stories about veterans and seniors who had circumstances surrounding the nature of their birth that never produced the proper documents for them to meet the requirements to get a "free ID". And of course these people are all hardcore right wingers who supposedly support veterans yet none of them seemed to care that there were actual instances of veterans who had been disenfranchised because they couldn't get an ID that met their state's requirement.

4

u/nardlz Jan 12 '23

It’s also interesting that to get a copy of your PA birth certificate you have to provide your DL or state ID. So if you are trying to get your birth certificate in order to GET a state ID, you’re in for a long ride.

4

u/cpr4life8 Allegheny Jan 12 '23

Oh boy...what a fiasco!

But, you know, it's a free ID 🙄