“Politicians are looking at that [voter ID law] like a 10-year plan to ensure they win future elections.”

The Commonwealth Court in Harrisburg heard closing arguments on August 1 in the Voter ID Law court case that has pitted Republicans against Democrats in the state legislature. No Democrats voted for the law when the Republican-controlled state legislature passed the law in March 2012. A legal challenge to Pennsylvania's law was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of a then 93-year old woman and others. The law, if enacted, will require all voters to present an approved photo identification card at the polls prior to voting. However, PA state attorneys arguing the case agreed to extend the injunction in place since 2012, regardless of the court’s pending decision, to not enforce the law until after the November 2013 elections. Supporters argue that the law is needed to guard against voter fraud. However, the lawyers for the state at the beginning of the trial which started in 2012 stipulated they could cite no cases of voter fraud in PA. Opponents of the law argue that the law is an attempt by Republican lawmakers to limit access to the polls of the poor, the young, the elderly and the minorities most of whom they believe would vote for Democrats. This view gained ground when, in June 2012, House Majority Leader Mike Turzai, R-Allegheny said the new law would help Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney beat Obama in Pennsylvania. “Why do they want to enforce a voter ID law to begin with?” said Bethlehem NAACP director Esther Lee in an interview. “We are all American citizens. Your name and signature are on the rolls.” “We need to be encouraging people to vote,” said Lee. Lee said in an interview that she believes that the law is aimed at “people of color” because the majority of the population is “turning brown.” “Politicians are looking at that [voter ID law] like a 10-year plan to ensure they win future elections,” said Lee. She also took issue with the redistricting that allows politicians to remain in power when populations move across congressional district lines. “This realignment of districts is only to favor the future of the Republican Party; to ensure their future success winning elections,” said Lee.