Northumberland County voters came to the polls Tuesday with IDs in hand, helping to make the trial run for the state's new voter ID law an apparent success.
Judges of elections at polling sites in Elysburg, Coal Township and Jackson Township reported mid-day they had not experienced any issues with asking voters to provide a photo ID, even though it's not mandatory until the Nov. 6 general election.
In many cases, voters had their driver's licenses or other forms of ID ready.
"It's been a pretty smooth day," said Jim Williams, judge of elections for the polling place at the Elysburg Fire Company. "Everyone has been very cooperative with showing their IDs today."
There was one exception, Williams said.
"(One man) went on a rant about how it was a Gestapo-like tactic to ask for a photo ID," Williams said. "That was the only complaint we heard."
Mary Ann Rumberger, judge of elections for the polling site at Shamokin Area Middle/High School, reported no major problems.
"At this point, there were only about two or three people who didn't have their IDs with them," Rumberger said. "We thought that more people would be confused by it all, but it's been pretty good."
Adjusted well
Alisha Herb, Northumberland County director of elections, said Tuesday evening she received no reports of any problems at county polling places as a result of the voter ID. She heard of no delays as a result of voters being asked to show their identifications, and no poll workers requested additional help to handle the new responsibility of checking the voter IDs.
Herb said she believes county voters adjusted well to the new requirement. In fact, she received 15 to 20 phone calls throughout the day from people seeking advice on how to obtain voter IDs for the November general election, when they will become mandatory. She anticipates no problems in November.
Notices explaining the new procedure were placed inside and outside each polling place, Herb said.
The policy is now considered among the nation's toughest regarding voter photo identification. The law, backed mostly by Republicans, said it will combat voter fraud, while Democrats, in leading the opposition, criticized it as an unconstitutional effort to suppress votes in favor of the GOP, especially during the re-election year for President Obama.
Information distributed
Poll workers were handing out forms reminding voters that photo IDs will be required come November. It listed the variations that are acceptable: state driver's license, military identification, U.S. passport, employee identification cards for federal, state or municipal workers, photo identification cards from a Pennsylvania college or university or an I.D. issued by a personal care home. All forms of identification must have both a photo and an expiration date.
It also offers instructions on what to do to obtain a qualifying photo ID, which can be obtained free of charge at a PennDOT Driver License Center. Those wihotu a valid ID will be able to cast a provisional ballot, and will then have six days to provide a photo ID or an affirmation to their county elections office to have the ballot counted.
A new provision has been added that allows senior citizens and others to use even long-expired state driver's licenses or expired non-driver I.D. cards to more easily obtain a free photo I.D. card for voting purposes. Others seeking the cards need to provide a Social Security card and additional documentation. The change should help senior citizens who stopped driving years ago but whose photo and other information remain in PennDOT's files.
Voter ID was signed into law March 14 by Gov. Tom Corbett.