Rabbi David Saperstein: "There are few more vital responsibilities than choosing our communal leaders, and no citizen should be denied the right to exercise that responsibility."
Contact: Sean Thibault or Zachary Rosenberg
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WASHINGTON, D.C., October 2, 2012 - Today, a Pennsylvania judge halted the implementation of the state's voter identification law. In response to this decision, Rabbi David Saperstein, Director of the Religious Action Center, issued the following statement:
"We applaud the decision of Commonwealth Court Judge Robert Simpson, halting the implementation of Pennsylvania's voter ID law. This law, like other voter ID laws proposed and implemented in states nationwide, does not reflect the reality that voter fraud is extremely rare. Instead, these laws disproportionately disenfranchise poor, minority, and elderly voters and threaten the integrity and fairness of our elections.
Hillel reminds us "Do not separate yourself from the community." There are few more vital responsibilities than choosing our communal leaders, and no citizen should be denied the right to exercise that responsibility.
Although today's ruling preserves the right of Pennsylvania voters to cast their ballot with or without ID, the law has not been overturned definitively. This law is an affront to the principles of equality and democracy and it must be permanently struck down. We commend the step Pennsylvania has taken in this direction and look forward to the free expression of voting rights in this November's election and those to come."
