National Urban League: PA Voter ID Injunction A Major Victory for Civil Rights

 
NEW YORK (October 2, 2012) -- Today's Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court ruling to delay implementation of the state's discriminatory voter ID law is a lesson to those who seek to change the rules of the game for their own political ends,  National Urban League President Marc H. Morial.

 
“We are heartened by the Court’s ruling, which confirms our long-held view that Pennsylvania’s ID law was always unworkable—at best.” Morial said. “ The Court has unambiguously held that the state cannot use voter ID requirements in a way that would disenfranchise citizens.
 
"However, we remain concerned about the eventual implementation of the law, and whether it will be used to disenfranchise historically vulnerable citizens including seniors, people of color and young people," Morial said. "Pennsylvania officials not only failed to produce evidence of voter impersonation, they conceded that they know of no examples, so it's clear the intent of the law was not to remedy any existing fraud.

 
"As Pennsylvania’s House Majority Leader indicated, the law was passed to boost the chances of one Presidential candidate over another," Morial said. "We will continue to oppose any effort to deny the right to vote to any eligible citizen, whether in a Presidential election year or any other."

CONTACT: Teresa Candori
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