SCRANTON -- The way it stands now, when you head to the polls next month to vote, you won't need photo ID. A ruling by a Commonwealth Court judge appears to have halted the controversial law from taking effect, at least for this election.
People from the Lackawanna County Department of Elections are hoping these polling places will be full come November, Despite all the changes to the Voter ID Law. Once again, commonwealth judge has ruled that you no longer need a photo ID to vote. With only five weeks left until Election Day, most people we spoke with today are relieved.
This "show it" sign still hangs on the wall of the Lackawanna County Department of Elections, but now it's wrong. A commonwealth judge ruled that voters no longer have to show a photo ID when they head to the polls this November.
"Do you want me to check and see if you're registered still?"
The United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania has been active in registering voters here in Scranton these last few months. Executive director Mike Hanley says the ruling is good for voters, especially older voters like the ones here at the South Side Senior Center.
"They depend on others for transportation. They live basically by themselves many of them. And then getting all the backup documentation that you needed to get the voter id was difficult," said Hanley.
"A lot of the people, it's hard for them to get out to get them in the first place. And some of them don't even know where to go to get it," said Shirley Cook, of Scranton.
The people here at the Lackawanna County Department of Elections say they haven't gotten too many phone calls from people asking about the changes to the law, but the people we spoke with say the whole thing is confusing.
"There's so much going on in the world and so much bologna that you don't need other stuff like this happening. Just leave it alone and the way it was," said Maureen Grego, of Scranton.
Just like the law itself, there are many opinions about whether the new ruling is a good or bad idea.
"They could be lying about who they really are and they're voting for somebody that they shouldn't be voting for."
"It's so confusing at times. You need this. You need that. This way you just go and you're able to vote and no worry," said Grego.
Nothing's set in stone yet. This morning's ruling is likely to be appealed to the state's supreme court, which means the Voter ID law could change again by November 6th. Either way, you must be registered to vote by next Tuesday, October 9th.