Pennsylvania House Republican Caucus
09/23/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/23/2024 08:08
First Time Voters Must Show ID
Sep. 23, 2024
By State Rep. Kate Klunk (R-Hanover)
The 2024 General Election is coming up on Tuesday, Nov. 5. First time voters will need to show their ID to cast a ballot for the next president and vice president; members of the U.S. House and Senate; state House and state Senate (in odd-numbered senatorial districts); and state row offices, including attorney general, auditor general, and treasurer. But what about voters who are not casting their first ballot?
Showing a valid ID is required for all kinds of things, including getting a library card, buying a six-pack, and boarding a flight. In Pennsylvania, the only time you need to show ID to vote is the first time. This is despite overwhelming public support for implementing voter ID every time you go to the polls.
According to a 2024 Pew Research Center survey, over 81% of Americans support requiring photo identification to vote. This sentiment is echoed across diverse demographic groups, with a Gallup poll from July 2022 indicating that 77% of people of color and 80% of white adults back such requirements. Similarly, a Franklin & Marshall College poll from 2021 revealed that 74% of Pennsylvanians, which encompass Democrats and Independents as well as Republicans, support voter ID laws. Despite bipartisan support, partisan operating rules in the House have halted progress on voter ID, preventing Pennsylvania voters from having the final say on the matter.
A voter identification constitutional amendment, House Bill 891, has sat idle in the House State Government Committee for over a year. House Republicans launched a discharge petition in March as an attempt to advance the measure, but it has not yet moved. Under the rules of the House, discharge petitions require the signatures of at least 25 Democrats and 25 Republicans to be successful. I am proud to be one of the signatures on that petition, but time is running out. To amend the Pennsylvania Constitution, an amendment must be passed in two consecutive sessions before it's approved by the voters. If House Bill 891 doesn't clear that hurdle this year, the General Assembly must start the process over again from scratch, delaying the process by a minimum of two more years.
Election integrity is fundamental for the proper functioning of democracy. By implementing robust verification processes, and working toward other goals like addressing system failures, and fostering community engagement, we can prevent fraud, safeguard legitimate votes, and uphold public trust in our institutions.
Every eligible person in Pennsylvania and the nation should have the right to vote. They should also be able to exercise that right freely and with confidence that their vote counts. They should have no reservations about being potentially misrepresented by a discrepancy in the system, and voter ID is an easy way for us to ensure eligibility. I will continue to be an advocate for this critical issue. Pennsylvanians deserve better.
If you are not already registered to vote in the Commonwealth, the deadline to do so is Monday, Oct. 21. You can register in person at your county elections office, by mail, or by visiting the state's online voter registration website, www.pavoterservices.pa.gov. For more information about voting, including how to check your registration and voting location, you can visit vote.pa.gov. You can also contact your state representative's office for more information about voting. My office can be reached at 717-630-8942. We are happy to help!
Representative Kate A. Klunk
169th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Katelin Morrison
717.260.6374
[email protected]
RepKlunk.com / Facebook.com/RepKlunk / Instagram.com/RepKateKlunk
The 2024 General Election is coming up on Tuesday, Nov. 5. First time voters will need to show their ID to cast a ballot for the next president and vice president; members of the U.S. House and Senate; state House and state Senate (in odd-numbered senatorial districts); and state row offices, including attorney general, auditor general, and treasurer. But what about voters who are not casting their first ballot?
Showing a valid ID is required for all kinds of things, including getting a library card, buying a six-pack, and boarding a flight. In Pennsylvania, the only time you need to show ID to vote is the first time. This is despite overwhelming public support for implementing voter ID every time you go to the polls.
According to a 2024 Pew Research Center survey, over 81% of Americans support requiring photo identification to vote. This sentiment is echoed across diverse demographic groups, with a Gallup poll from July 2022 indicating that 77% of people of color and 80% of white adults back such requirements. Similarly, a Franklin & Marshall College poll from 2021 revealed that 74% of Pennsylvanians, which encompass Democrats and Independents as well as Republicans, support voter ID laws. Despite bipartisan support, partisan operating rules in the House have halted progress on voter ID, preventing Pennsylvania voters from having the final say on the matter.
A voter identification constitutional amendment, House Bill 891, has sat idle in the House State Government Committee for over a year. House Republicans launched a discharge petition in March as an attempt to advance the measure, but it has not yet moved. Under the rules of the House, discharge petitions require the signatures of at least 25 Democrats and 25 Republicans to be successful. I am proud to be one of the signatures on that petition, but time is running out. To amend the Pennsylvania Constitution, an amendment must be passed in two consecutive sessions before it's approved by the voters. If House Bill 891 doesn't clear that hurdle this year, the General Assembly must start the process over again from scratch, delaying the process by a minimum of two more years.
Election integrity is fundamental for the proper functioning of democracy. By implementing robust verification processes, and working toward other goals like addressing system failures, and fostering community engagement, we can prevent fraud, safeguard legitimate votes, and uphold public trust in our institutions.
Every eligible person in Pennsylvania and the nation should have the right to vote. They should also be able to exercise that right freely and with confidence that their vote counts. They should have no reservations about being potentially misrepresented by a discrepancy in the system, and voter ID is an easy way for us to ensure eligibility. I will continue to be an advocate for this critical issue. Pennsylvanians deserve better.
If you are not already registered to vote in the Commonwealth, the deadline to do so is Monday, Oct. 21. You can register in person at your county elections office, by mail, or by visiting the state's online voter registration website, www.pavoterservices.pa.gov. For more information about voting, including how to check your registration and voting location, you can visit vote.pa.gov. You can also contact your state representative's office for more information about voting. My office can be reached at 717-630-8942. We are happy to help!
Representative Kate A. Klunk
169th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Katelin Morrison
717.260.6374
[email protected]
RepKlunk.com / Facebook.com/RepKlunk / Instagram.com/RepKateKlunk
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