Scott Kraus and Samantha Marcus report NorCo and Lehigh (so, Bethlehem and Allentown) are considering taking up Rich Fitzgerald’s plan to issue photo IDs to any resident via County nursing homes and community colleges:
Lehigh and Northampton may join Allegheny County in taking advantage of a loophole in the state’s voter ID law that allows them to issue legally acceptable photo identification to the general public through county-run nursing homes.
Lehigh County has such a plan “under serious consideration” said Frank Kane, chief of staff to Lehigh County Executive Bill Hansell.
“It makes some sense to us and we will discuss it and it is something we will certainly consider,” Kane said.
Northampton County Executive John Stoffa said he will consult county registrar Dee Rumsey to see what it would take to issue IDs through the country-run nursing home. In some ways, he said, the county is the ideal institution to issue identification because it has plenty of records to verify voters’ residence.
“It wouldn’t be a perfect system,” Stoffa said, “but it would be better than nothing.”
