2012 Presidential Election Obstruction: Judge Orders Republicans In Pennsylvania To Stop Asking For IDs

Republicans in Allegheny County have been ordered by Judge Guido A. DeAngelis to stop asking for voter identification. The incident was occurring outside of a polling location in Homestead.

A complaint regarding the practice was received just before 10 am, which led to county officials petitioning for a stop to electioneering at the polling location. The issue occurred at a voting station on Maple Street.

The judges order specifically states:

“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.”

According to Judge DeAngelis, one of two judges overseeing the Elections Court, electioneering “could have a chilling effect” on many voters in the area who are not aware of voting laws that do not require a voter to president photo identification.

The second Common Pleas Judge Jeffrey A. Manning told those Republican helpers that the only people allowed to ask for ID are the poll workers inside the voting locations.

While poll watchers in Pittsburgh are permitted to ask for photo ID, they are not allowed to demand it for this year’s election.

The problem with outside helpers appears to be that they were trying to trick voters into leaving the polling station without casting a vote.

Democrats have fervently fought against voter ID laws over the last year, claiming that such laws wrongfully prohibit legalized American citizens from voting. Democrats believe that poor voters, minorities, and the elderly are most likely to be discriminated against when photo identification is required to vote on election day.