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Make Sure You’re Signed Up to Keep Receiving Email Updates
If you would like to ensure that you continue to receive all of my email updates through 2012, please click here. House rules place restriction on our email communications prior to some elections, so unless you click HERE, you may not receive these updates this fall.
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Fish For Free Day in Pennsylvania:
Labor Day – Monday, Sept. 3
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Individuals and families looking to enjoy a weekend of fishing and outdoor activities can fish for free on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 3. Fish for Free Days allow anyone, both residents and non-residents, to legally fish in Pennsylvania all day without a fishing license. All other fishing regulations apply. Click here for information.
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Now Is the Time to Prepare for Area Weather Emergencies
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 At this time last year, our area was bracing for Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. I just want to remind you that it’s officially hurricane season again, and now is the time to prepare for weather emergencies. Check your batteries, your medicine supply, and make sure that you have a reserve of clean water in the event of power outages. Also, if you, a loved one, or a neighbor who has a health condition that would put them in jeopardy (for example, being on oxygen) if the power goes out for an extended period of time, please alert your township manager of the condition.
I have worked with MetEd and representatives from Nockamixon, Riegelsville, Tinicum, Durham and Bridgeton townships to ensure a more efficient response in an emergency situation. If severe weather conditions cause extended power outages, these townships and Met Ed representatives will coordinate the response from the Nockamixon Township building. MetEd has supplied a laptop to each of these municipalities and has purchased a generator for use at the Nockamixon Township building.
New Voter ID Law in PA – What You Need to Know
 Act 18 of 2012, a new law in Pennsylvania, requires registered voters to present specific photo identification every time they appear to vote, and requires those using absentee ballots to submit proof of identification. Previous law required voters to submit identification when appearing to vote in a precinct or voting district for the first time.
Voters who appear at the polls in November without photo ID will NOT be turned away! Voters will have the opportunity to vote by provisional ballot, then present valid identification within six days of the election to the Bucks County Board of Elections.
Acceptable forms of photo ID must include three things: the voter’s name, his/her photo, and an expiration date that is not yet expired.
The following are acceptable forms of identification to show at the polls, so long as they meet the three requirements listed above.
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ID issued by the United States government. |
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ID issued by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. |
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U.S. military ID (need not be unexpired). |
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ID issued by a municipality of this Commonwealth to an employee of that municipality. |
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ID issued by an accredited Pennsylvania public or private institution of higher learning (Pennsylvania residents who attend college out of state will not be able to use their student IDs to vote). |
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ID issued by a licensed Pennsylvania care facility, including long term care facilities and assisted living or personal care homes. |
If an individual does not currently possess any acceptable form of ID, he or she may obtain a non-driver’s ID free from PennDOT upon affirmation that the ID is needed specifically to vote.
Most Pennsylvania colleges and universities do not presently issue ID cards that would be acceptable at the polls because the cards do not have an expiration date. College-age voters should be aware of the requirements under Act 18 and take action if necessary. Additionally, most of our local senior care facilities do not issue ID cards that are compliant with the new law. If you or someone you know resides in a care facility and does not have a driver’s license or PennDOT-issued photo ID, please become familiar with the new law and take action in a timely fashion.
Because the Voter ID Law requires the name on the individual voter's ID to "substantially conform" with the name of the voter as it appears on the voter rolls, the name "mismatch" can be significant, especially for women who may have changed their name due to marital status. Recently I re-registered to vote because I realized that I originally registered as Marguerite Mary Quinn, instead of the Marguerite Corr Quinn, as on my driver's license. Don't wait until the last minute to look into this!
Steps are continually being taken by the Department of State to ease the process of obtaining acceptable ID for eligible voters. A person having difficulty acquiring ID can contact my office for further information or with specific questions.
Those unable to appear at the polls in person – such as the infirmed, college students away at school, or someone with travel plans – may vote by absentee ballot. While this procedure has remained substantially the same, voters will now have to provide their driver’s license numbers, PennDOT-issued ID numbers, or the last four digits of their Social Security numbers when applying to the Bucks County Board of Elections for a ballot. There are provisions in the law to provide for other acceptable forms of ID – please contact the Board of Elections at 215-348-6154 for specifics. In order to vote by absentee ballot, one must be a registered voter.
I had many concerns that caused me to vote against this bill. It is now the law, so it is imperative that you ask questions and to get the proper ID now! Visit my website or www.votespa.com for more information about Act 18 of 2012. You can also call my district office at 215-489-2126 for information. Please help educate others about these requirements; every eligible vote is important and needs to be counted.
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