Pennsylvania Judge stops Republicans from demanding photo ID

Posted by AzblueMeanie:

Remember the protracted legal battle in the Pennsylvania courts just a few weeks ago over photo ID? The court ruled that poll workers can ask for a photo ID, but if a voter does not have one they are still permitted to vote, just as they always have.

There are widespread reports this morning that some poll workers are insisting upon photo ID before allowing voters to vote in Pennsylvania, in violation of the court order.

Think Progress also reports:

A judge in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania has issued an order to “halt electioneering
outside a polling location in Homestead.” “Individuals outside the
polls are prohibited from questioning, obstructing, interrogating or
asking about any form of identification and/demanding any form of
identification from any prospective voter,” the order says. Republicans
had been asking people outside the polls to show identification. Under
the current law, voters will still be asked to present IDs at the polls,
but an ID is not required to vote.

UPDATE: The Philadelphia Inquirer reports Election Day — Committee of Seventy reports problems at the polls:

Here's what's happening out there already, according to Seventy's volunteers on the phones and at the polls.

*  Election Court is dealing with a host of minority (Republican)
inspectors being denied access to their polling places in Philadelphia.

*  The New Black Panthers are back. They're reportedly at the polling place at 11th and Germantown Streets.

*  There are "You need a photo ID to vote" signs at a number of
polling places. Seventy has asked the City Commissioners to have Judges
of Elections take those signs down immediately. We're also hearing
that judges of election at at least two other polling places have been
telling voters they need a photo ID to vote. You don't need a photo ID
to vote today in Pennsylvania, though elections officials are supposed
to ask you if you have one.

*  A polling place at 7th and Cayoga Streets – in the city's Latino
area – has numerous voters who do not speak English – and reportedly no
interpreter in sight.

* * *

Update, 9:45 AM. New Black Panthers, Nowhere in Sight 

Seventy dispatched volunteers to the Philadelphia polling place at
11th St. and Germantown Avenue this morning, where reports surfaced
earlier today that the New Black Panthers were back in Philly and at
this polling place.  Neither Seventy's volunteers, nor City officials
who visited the polling precinct and checked in with Seventy, saw any
signs of the New Black Panthers.  We'll keep you posted, but as of now,
no hard evidence that this report is true.

Note: You wouldn't know this if you are watching FAUX News Fraudcasting today. OMG! Black Panthers intimidating white voters! (Not). This issue of minority (Republican)
inspectors being denied access to their polling places in Philadelphia is more troubling. This is the hot news item on wingnut news sites: Democrats trying to steal Pennsylvania! The last Republican to carry the state of Pennsylvania was Ronald Reagan.

UPDATE: Large numbers of registered North and West Philadelphia voters are not
being shown on the city’s books and are being asked to cast provisional
ballots, election workers and observers tell Philadelphia CityPaper.
The problems followed reports that election officials had not processed
up to 20,000 voter registrations just two weeks before the vote.