Primary Day Serves as Dry Run for New Voter I.D. Law

Williamsport, Lycoming County--Practice at the polls. Voters and poll workers are using this primary as a sort of dry run for the new Voter I.D. law.

Greg Forsburg, judge of elections, says, "We're getting ourselves used to asking for I.D.'s for November. The law doesn't come into effect until November."

Acceptable forms of I.D. are ones that are current and have an expiration date that is still valid.

For example, a drivers' license, military I.D or passport are good to go.

But something like a student or senior id with no dates won't be accepted.

It's a new law that getting some mixed reactions.

Marguerite Birch, Williamsport, says, "I think it's great. People with no I.D.'s shouldn't be able to vote, but I heard they're having a lot of problems."

Charlie Plankenhorn, judge of elections, says, "I'm struggling with the new law. Our board of elections here knows 95 percent of our precinct personally. So we'll have to I.D. our brothers, sisters, people who live across the street even if we already know who they are and maybe even their date of birth."

But overall, poll workers say this soft opening of the voter I.D. law is working out pretty well.

Forsburg adds, "Most people have been very receptive. They are already showing ideas. We haven't had too much of a problem."