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Opening day of the hearing on the constitutionality of PA's Voter ID law, known as Act 18.
Petitioner Viviette Applewhite and members of Washington, D.C. law firm of Arnold & Porter LLP enter Commonwealth Court the morning of Wednesday, July 25th for the first day of the hearing. Ms. Applewhite was the Plaintiffs' second witness, testifying to the challenges of obtaining the proper photo identification as outlined under the new law.
When asked on the stand why she feels it is important to vote, she replied, "I think it is important to vote because it gives me my rights to say things I want to say and do things I want to do and help people other than myself."
Born in 1919, Ms. Applewhite testified has only missed voting in one Presidential election.
"I think it was Roosevelt," she said. "I missed one because I moved and someway or another, I couldn't find where to vote. I looked all afternoon until 6:00pm, then I gave up. It's the only one I missed."
Since Act 18 was made law, she has been trying to get a Voter ID card; however, she contended she's had challenges obtaining the proper documents required. "The people in my building, they don't want to do what I'm doing. I hope they can just do what they been doing. Just go vote." ---Tara Leo Auchey