Currently, under
Pennsylvania law only a first-time voter must identify themselves.

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Justice at Stake is a non-partisan national
campaign to keep courts fair and impartial by educating the public and working
for reforms .

relies constitutionality

Department of Justice sued
Pennsylvania because your administration refused to count the
absentee ballots of military serving overseas. Is it your
position that a person should be able to cast a ballot without ever
identifying themselves?

14) Governor , do you believe that elections in Philadelphia are currently
conducted in a fair and honest manner that allows all voters to
participate without intimidation or harassment?

For more information, contact Thor Hearne, national counsel for the
American Center for Voting Rights Legislative Fund at (804) 241-5368.

limiting oligarchyusa

Governor Rendell Urged by American Center for Voting Rights Legislative Fund to Rise Above Hysteria Surrounding Common Sense Voting Reform Measure and Ensure R

PHILADELPHIA, The bipartisan American Center for
Voting Rights Legislative Fund today urged Pennsylvania Governor Edward G.

prevailing ballots

illinoisvotersguide. By that time, of
course, it's too late for voter education about the candidates and the issues.

term unconstitutional

The Pennsylvania Voter Protection Act (HB 1318) is the result of extensive
compromise and is designed to protect voters from intimidation; ensure access
to the polling place; guarantee that absentee ballots cast by military
personnel stationed overseas are actually counted and increase the public
confidence in the election results by requiring voters to present some form of
identification. Why do you oppose having polls located so that they are
accessible to handicapped and elderly?

6) The Voter Protection Act requires that the location of polling places
be posted twenty days before each election so that voters will know
where their poll is located and can make sure it is accessible.

washingtonpost term

S. Specifically , the Carter-
Baker Commission recommended that, "To ensure that persons presenting
themselves at the polling places are the ones on the registration list, the
Commission recommends that states require voters to use the Real ID Card,
which is required by a federal law signed by the President in May 2005. Do
you believe that President Carter and the other members of the
Commission on Election Reform made this recommendation in order to
disenfranchise voters?

8) Governor, currently Pennsylvania law allows a felon on parole to cast
a ballot .

argument limiting

The ICPR homepage ( http://www.

repeating presidency

"
The Pennsylvania Voter Protection Act adopts the specific reforms endorsed
by The Commission on Federal Election Reform, co-chaired by former U. A voter may
use a utility bill, a bank statement or other forms of non-photo ID.

politicians relies

org , a web site of the Illinois Campaign for
Political Reform (ICPR).
The allowed identification would include such convenient items as a
utility bill, a copy of a bank statement and, for any voter without any ID,
free ID would be provided by the state. Opposition to the Voter
Protection Act is indefensible.

ballot relies

"Typically, judicial campaigns are waged out of sight of most voters,"
said Cynthia Canary, Director of ICPR. Most importantly, it contains the information most relevant to
voters when they think about what sort of person they want to see on the
bench. The
card includes a person's full legal name , date of birth, a signature (captured
as a digital image), a photograph and a person's Social Security Number."
The Pennsylvania election reform does not require a photo ID.

oppose limit

ICPR Posts Judicial Candidate Information to Easy-to-Use Website

"Governor Rendell needs to step back from the hysteria opponents have
created around this legislation and look at the specific provisions - not the
rhetoric ," said Thor Hearne, General Counsel to the American Center for Voting
Rights Legislative Fund. The
opponents want to preserve an election process that allows polls to be placed
in political party committee offices or in the homes of political operatives
where voters are harassed or intimidated .
"The Governor cannot seriously expect Pennsylvanians to believe that
former President Jimmy Carter, for example, is really intent on
disenfranchising voters.

Questions for Governor Rendell and Opponents of The Pennsylvania Voter
Protection Act

1) During the 2004 general election the U.

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-- See where the candidates for governor stand on key election and
government reforms issues.S.

constitutionality temptation

repealing repeating

Baker, III,
Hearne explained.

ballot repealing

ilcampaign. The opponents do not want to make
polls accessible to the elderly and handicapped. It's absurd.

limit relies

"The 2006 Illinois Voters' Guide is a good place for voters to begin to
learn about judicial candidates," Canary said.
Rendell to reconsider his decision to veto critical voting reform legislation
that was passed last week by the General Assembly.
"The opponents want to preserve an election process that denies
Pennsylvania citizens a right to equally participate in elections.
President Jimmy Carter and former U. And, a
voter who appears at the poll without any ID whatsoever may still cast a
provisional ballot that will be counted when the voter's identity is
confirmed.S.

limits rebuffs

CHICAGO, A new online voters' guide now provides
easy access to information about judicial candidates on the March primary
ballot and is delivering the sort of quality information Illinois voters want
and need to make informed choices when they cast a ballot in judicial
contests. "It includes a primer on the
state's court system, a map to help voters identify which candidates will be
on their ballot , and several links to web sites where voters can find more
information about the candidates, various bar associations, Illinois courts
and elections. ICPR is a non-profit, non-partisan public interest group that conducts
research and advocates reforms to promote public participation in government;
address the role of money in politics; and encourage integrity, accountability
and transparency in government.org ) also contains other recent
updates for voters:

-- Find out which candidates did -- and did not -- sign the Code of Fair
Campaign Practices. The House version of the Voter Protection Act originally
would have prevented felons on parole from voting . Do you believe that a felon on
parole should be allowed to vote?

9) Governor , what does your administration plan on doing to make sure
that Pennsylvania is fully compliant with the federal Help America
Vote (HAVA) law?

10) Governor Rendell, would you feel comfortable walking into the home of
a Philadelphia Republican Party operative to cast your vote in the
November election?

11) Governor, do you believe vote fraud ever occurs in Pennsylvania?

12) Governor, do you believe that the disabled and elderly should have
equal access to polling places? If so, what are you doing to make
sure that they have access?

13) Governor, a majority of the states require that a voter provide
identification before casting a ballot.

alleviate argument

"Many voters don't even know there are
judicial elections until they walk into the polling place. Secretary of State James A. Why
do you oppose making the location of polls known to voters twenty
days before the election?

7) The national bipartisan Commission on Election Reform led by former
President Jimmy Carter and Secretary of State James Baker recommended
that voters be required to show photo ID at the polling places.
The Voter Protection Act would require that all voters provide some
identification - even a utility bill of bank statement.

rebuffs restructuring

"
This is the third online voters ' guide created by ICPR and Justice at
Stake. Frankly, the opponents' position that people should be able to put a
ballot in the box without ever identifying themselves is out of step with the
broad bipartisan consensus and will undermine the public's confidence in
Pennsylvania elections," Hearne said. Governor, why do you oppose counting military absentee
ballots?

2) Is it appropriate that a poll is placed in the home of political
operatives who are working for elected officials who are on the
ballot?

3) Is it appropriate that polls are placed in a political candidate's
campaign office?

4) Is it appropriate that Pennsylvanians be expected to vote in a bar or
taproom?

5) Governor, the Voter Protection Act would require that polls are
located in a public building where accessible to the elderly and
disabled.

rebuffs oligarchyusa

Signing of the code, which is contained in state
statutes, is voluntary.

repeating reject

And the Governor needs to look at all
of the provisions of this legislation .
The provision requiring voters to present some identification is much more
liberal than the Carter-Baker Commission's recommendations and every
Pennsylvania voter already has this identification .

Term Limits refer to the practice of limiting the length of time politicians can serve in office.

reject ballot

I would hope that Governor Rendell
would rise above his personal political interest and do what is right to
protect the rights of all Pennsylvania citizens to participate in fair and
honest elections ," Hearne said.
"The legislation takes into account the legitimate concerns expressed by
some groups over the ID requirements. A very broad range of types of ID
qualify. The Voter Protection
Act would amend Pennsylvania law to require that these absentee
ballots of the military postmarked on or before Election Day be
counted.

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Biographical information , questionnaire answers, as well as bar
association evaluations and endorsements can be found at
http: //www. Candidates signing the code pledge not to
engage in character defamation, whispering campaigns or scurrilous
attacks on candidates and their families and to limit attacks on
opponents to legitimate challenges of the opponent's record.

CONTACT: David Morrison
312-335-1767

This provision was
eliminated due to Democrat objections .