On Tuesday, a judge in Pennsylvania blocked that state’s new controversial voter-ID law from going into effect in time to be valid for the November general election. Judge Robert Simpson from the Commonwealth Court said the measure, which would require all voters to show an ID with a photo at the polls, could have prevented some citizens from voting, as those against the law had previously argued.
Earlier in September, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania ordered Simpson to block the new law unless he could determine it would not cause any voter disenfranchisement and that it was easy to receive a new voter ID from the state.
Previously, Judge Simpson had rejected the claims that the new law would stop some voters from being able to vote, and had refused to block the new law when he first had it presented before him last August. The law possibly could take effect at some later date or face additional challenges by its opponents who want it blocked completely.
The new law caused a great deal of controversy since March when it was originally passed over objections from state Democrats. Estimates range from 10,000 to one million for people that do not have an acceptable ID with a photo under the law.
Republicans in Pennsylvania said the law had been intended to eliminate voter fraud and Democrats claim the law would affect poor urban voters disproportionately as well as other voters who were more apt to vote for Democrats including President Barack Obama.
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