House Passes Voter ID Election Reform Bill

HARRISBURG (June 23, 2011) — The state House yesterday approved legislation to strengthen voter identification and ensure the “One man, one vote” doctrine set forth in the 1964 U.S. Supreme Court decision Reynolds v. Sims, according to House Majority Leader Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny County).

“Nothing is more important to a democracy than the right to vote,” Turzai said. “Voter identification will help protect the election process and the integrity of each vote. It will ensure that everyone votes once and only once.”
The legislation, House Bill 934, protects the integrity of the vote by requiring each voter to present proof of identification at every election.

According to Turzai, a uniform voter identification requirement assures all voters will be treated equally and fairly and will prevent some voters from being singled out for identification while other voters are allowed to vote without identifying themselves.

“While there are disagreements on the magnitude of voter fraud, there is no question it occurs. Election officials cannot discover an impersonation if they are denied the very tool needed to detect it,” Turzai said. “Each fraudulent vote steals legitimate votes and disenfranchises true voters.”

Citing the Sept. 19, 2005, report of the Commission on Federal Election Reform, co-chaired by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former U.S. Secretary of State James A. Baker III, Turzai said the problem is not the magnitude of fraud, but in close or disputed elections, “a small amount of fraud could make the margin of difference.” A good identification system “could deter, detect, or eliminate several potential avenues of fraud – such as multiple voting or voting by individuals using the identities of others.”

State Representative Mike Turzai
28th District, Pennsylvania House of Representatives