Judge won’t rule immediately in Pa. Voter ID case

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The Commonwealth Court judge overseeing a challenge to Pennsylvania's politically divisive voter identification law says he will not issue a ruling from the bench.

Judge Robert Simpson says he won't rule Thursday after hearing from voters who say the new photo identification requirement creates too many hurdles for them to clear before casting their ballots.

Republicans who created the law say it's necessary to combat fraud. Democrats who oppose it counter that it's ploy to disenfranchise poor and minority voters who lack the forms of identification required.

Simpson initially upheld the law as constitutional but is hearing more testimony after the state Supreme Court ordered him to decide whether the law would disenfranchise voters.

Simpson hinted during testimony Tuesday that an injunction is possible. He has an Oct. 2 deadline.

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