Pa. voter ID bill scheduled for final Senate vote

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania state senators are debating a bill to require every voter to show certain photo identification before their ballot could be counted.

Republicans were pressing the bill today over the protests of Democrats, civil liberties advocates, county commissioners, labor unions, the AARP and the NAACP.

The bill would make Pennsylvania the 16th state to require such identification and Gov. Tom Corbett supports the concept.

House approval is also necessary before the Republican governor can sign it.

Democrats say Republicans are trying to suppress turnout by traditionally Democratic voters such as the disabled, poor and minorities in this year’s presidential election. County commissioners warn that it would lengthen Election Day lines at many polling places.

Republicans say people without proper ID would have six days to get one.