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Pennsylvania voter ID law goes to court

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    Pennsylvania Deputy Secretary of State: Confident law will be upheld

  • Duration 5:19
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And of the Fox News voter fraud unit now for Arkansas Democrat's -- guilty -- voter fraud related charges this week.

Want to stay -- -- expected to resign.

Prosecutors say absentee ballots were -- and voters bribed with money and -- And another absentee ballot cases landed a sheriff in jail who reported on Lincoln County West Virginia sheriff Jerry Bowman.

Well he's been sentenced to one year and one day in a voter fraud scheme.

Mr.

Bowman admitted falsifying absentee ballots and even voting -- himself.

The former county clerk there also about a year and a half behind bars after prosecutors accused the pair of trying to steal the election and West Virginia.

Meanwhile voter ID is on trial across the country and Texas the State's attorney general says he's gonna go to the US Supreme Court.

To appeal the federal ruling that blocked the voter ID law there.

South Carolina's -- is on trial and this coming Thursday the Pennsylvania State Supreme Court.

We'll hear an appeal of the judge's ruling that supported that State's law.

Will voter ID survivor go down in flames are joining us again as the deputy secretary of state.

A Pennsylvania mr.

Shannon writer who's in Philadelphia where that court hearing will be held a -- good to see what what do you think will happen.

In court on Thursday.

Well I'm very optimistic that the voter -- -- on Pennsylvania will be upheld.

The commonwealth court decision in the lower court's decision on this was crystal clear that it is constitutional.

That it is non discriminatory that it does not affect disproportionately.

Any voter -- any group of voters.

And in fact judge Simpson in this case decided the US Supreme Court decision from an Indiana back in 2008.

That found voter -- to be constitutional.

And a quite frankly -- common sense way in which to verify voters' identity when voting said because.

This was such a well written and well reasoned decision and in fact partially based on EUS Supreme Court decision.

Again I'm optimistic that our voter -- law will be upheld.

And they've been different results in other states in Texas for example of that that three judge panel said that it's there it it puts strict on forgiving burdens.

On the -- I mean even President Obama during his DNC speech he criticized.

Voter IDE.

Criticize quote.

Those who -- making it harder for you to vote so you know the arguments that at least a voter suppression.

That it's aimed at minorities and elderly in this sort of thing.

How did Pennsylvania -- -- your state try to deal with that and what your response.

Well it's really comparing apples to oranges that the Texas law for example.

It's been reported that you need to spend a minimum of 22 dollars to get the documentation you need for.

A free voter ID card eventually.

After you get your documentation.

And also mention that -- to travel between 200 and 250 miles to get to a place where you can get the photo ID -- purposes.

And that there are photo ID entities that issue -- are open weekends.

None of that is the case in Pennsylvania.

We have a system in place now with this law that all the documentation you can get for a photo ID for voting purposes is in fact.

Free.

We had 71 Department of Transportation centers around the state five of them right here in Philadelphia.

Where people can get photo IDs are voting purposes.

And our facilities are open on the weekend so not all Motorola ID laws are written the same they're not all.

Equal I guess in that regard but Pennsylvania's again is modeled after Indiana's law which was upheld by the US supreme.

Four but the ACLU are those still has gone to court against Gmail on Thursday and and and and would admit he had Applewhite that the felt blessed are the wonderful woman 92 years old -- there.

Would this chief plaintiff what's more -- turns out she gets your -- we've talked about this before why would they still big on a court.

If if people again there -- decent -- event.

Well it's remarkable.

Because even judge Simpson in the commonwealth court decision in his seventy page opinion said that.

No voter will be disenfranchised by this law that in fact.

All of the plaintiffs in this case are able to get them to get photo ID for voting purposes.

It is a mystery to me why why people continue to oppose common sense laws like this.

Many states have voter ID laws in place where you show photo identification.

In order to those judge after judge in court case after court case.

Pat had said that it is a tool that states can use to verify.

People's identity when they vote that is in fact constitutional.

Georgia has been doing they're better -- -- -- in place since 2006 when it was signed into law it has been functioning.

Very well there including in Atlanta which has a very high minority population much like Philadelphia in our state.

So it's working around the country these -- have been popular according to -- opinion.

But nonetheless people continue to oppose it but again I think we're going to be successful on Thursday -- Court case we know it's very controversial.

A lot of opposition and will be -- -- -- on Thursday.

And see what happens destroyer -- lawyer who's the deputy secretary of state for Pennsylvania joining us in Philadelphia thanks so much again thank you.

And of course if you suspend voter fraud where you live there it is voter fraud there it is waterfront at foxnews.com that's our address.

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