The Herald, Sharon, Pa.

Local News

August 29, 2012

Exact match on names not required to vote

By Sandy Scarmack Herald Staff Writer

MERCER COUNTY — Mercer County’s election director said Tuesday that a Voter ID informational mailing recently sent to Mercer County residents incorrectly says the required photo identification name must “exactly match” the name on the voter rolls.

“This implies the names on your photo ID and the voter rolls must be an exact match, when in fact the law says they must ‘substantially conform’. The law does not say the names have to be identical,” said Jeff Greenburg.

Greenburg has said in recent months that voters are most likely to be confused by the term “substantially conforms” and said poll workers will be trained to determine what conforms. For most voters, he said, it won’t be an issue. Anyone with questions is encouraged to call the elections office at 724-662-7542.

He cited an example where a Sharon resident drove to the election office Tuesday morning to change her registration because her driver’s license listed her as “Elizabeth” and her name on the voter rolls was “Beth.” “She absolutely didn’t need to do that. She would have been perfectly fine.”

He said his fear is that voters who may wait until later in the fall to check their identification may not be clear on the allowable variations and will simply not show up to vote, thinking they will be turned away. That, he said, is the result of too many authors issuing information about the new law.

“Basically if you show up with a photo ID and it looks like you are who you say you are, you are going to vote on a polling machine. I don’t want anyone to not come out to vote for fear their ID isn’t correct,” he said.

“The state is releasing information, candidates are releasing information, election offices are releasing information. I think it would be best in this case if the information came from one official source.” He said he sent a statewide e-mail to other county election offices in response to the incorrect information in the direct mailing. His office was notified by residents who called with questions about the specific language in the mailing.

Greenburg said the best way to explain what “substantially conforms” means is by reading the following information provided by the Pennsylvania Department of State in its training guide for poll workers:

Does the name on the Photo ID have to match exactly to the name in the poll book?

 No. The name on the Photo ID must “substantially conform” to the name on the poll book. Poll workers, in consultation with the county board of elections, may use the same level of discretion and judgment as they used in enforcing the “first-time voter” identification requirements previously required.

People often use nicknames, middle names and initials as a substitute for their given name. For example, a voter whose name is Joseph Earl Voter or Margaret Smith Voter may have a Photo ID that contains any one of the following:

ä Joseph Earl Voter could be Joseph E. Voter, Joseph Voter, J. Earl Voter, J.E. Voter, Joe Earl Voter, Joe E. Voter, J. Voter and Earl Voter.

ä Margaret Smith Voter could be Margaret S. Voter, Maggy S. Voter, Maggy Voter, Peg S. Voter, M.S. Voter, M. Smith Voter, M. Voter and even Margaret Smith.

In a secondary issue, Greenburg said the toll-free 800-932-4600 phone tree for PennDOT may not be all that easy to understand. Voters trying to reach PennDOT for information need to press these numbers in order after they are connected to the main menu:

• Press 1 for English

• 1 for driver’s license services

• 4 to apply for learner’s permit or ID card

• 5 for info on photo ID card

• 1 for info on obtaining photo ID card for voting purposes.

Please wait to be prompted between each number before pushing.

 

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