Monday, September 17, 2012

So here is what it takes to vote

Since Alex does not have satisfactory photo ID issued by a government agency or government employer and is not attending a PA state University, she must have the right birth certificate and a valid passport to now obtain a PA non-driver ID so she can vote. Here is what it takes. Only once she has these forms can she have ID to vote. She cannot even request her own birth certificate. This also means that until we have the right documents she cannot drive.
Oh yeah and no one told her about this whole other process because it was not operable in August.
And this is not the PennDOT employees fault- they were just doing what they were told.

She can register to vote in Ohio where she is in college which however does nothing for her status in Pennsylvania.

See below:

Obtaining a Free PennDOT Secure ID for Voting Purposes

New Department of State Voter ID

All forms and publications related to obtaining an ID for voting purposes are now available or will be available shortly in the following languages; Arabic (العربية), Chinese (中文), French (Français), Hindi (हिंदी), Khmer ( ), Korean (한국어), Russian (Русский), Spanish (Español), Ukrainian (Украинский) and Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt). Please check back periodically; as forms are translated they will be posted to PennDOT's website.



For a Secure Pennsylvania Photo ID

If a voter does not POSSESS PROOF OF IDENTIFICATION FOR VOTING PURPOSES as defined at section 102(z.5)(2) of the Pennsylvania Election Code (25 P.S. § 2602(z.5)(2)) and requires proof of identification for voting purposes, the following applies:

You must declare under oath or affirmation by completing the Oath/ Affirmation Voter ID form that you do not possess any of the following forms of identification: In particular,

-Identification issued by the United States Government that includes my name, a photograph, and an expiration date that is not expired.*

- Identification issued by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania that includes my name, a photograph, and an expiration date that is not expired (unless issued by the Department of Transportation, then the expiration of the identification cannot be more than 12 months past the expiration date).

- Identification issued by a municipality of this Commonwealth to an employee of that municipality that includes my name, a photograph, and an expiration date that is not expired.

- Identification issued by an accredited Pennsylvania public or private institution of higher learning that includes my name, a photograph, and an expiration date that is not expired.

- Identification issued by a Pennsylvania care facility that includes my name, a photograph, and an expiration date that is not expired.

*In the case of a document from an agency of the armed forces of the United States or their reserve components, including the Pennsylvania National Guard, that establishes the voter as a current member or a veteran of the United States Armed Forces or National Guard and that does not designate a specific date on which the document expires, the document must include a notation indicating that the expiration is indefinite.

$13.50 fee for acquiring an Identification Card will be waived for individuals completing the Oath/ Affirmation Voter ID form. All identification documentation is still required to obtain an Identification Card as follows:

Step1

To obtain a Pennsylvania Photo Identification card for voting purposes, an individual needs to visit a Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Driver License Center with a completed Application for an Initial Photo Identification Card; form DL-54A, and the following:



Social Security Card

AND

One of the following:

• Certificate of U.S. Citizenship

• Certificate of Naturalization

• *Birth Certificate with a raised seal

PLUS

• Two proofs of **residency such as lease agreements, current utility bills, mortgage documents, W-2 form, tax records

*If they do not have a birth certificate with a raised seal and are a Pennsylvania native; and do not have one of the acceptable, alternative forms of photo identification to vote; and will provide a signed oath/affirmation form, when visiting the PennDOT driver license center, they must:

• Tell the PennDOT customer service representative they are a Pennsylvania native who needs a photo ID for voting purposes, and do not have a certified copy of their birth certificate;

• Sign an oath/affirmation that they do not have an acceptable form of ID for voting purposes and the photo ID is needed for voting purposes;

• Show a Social Security card and two proofs of residence, such as a deed, lease, tax bill, or utility bill;

• Fill out a DL-54A form requesting a non-driver photo ID and;

• Complete the HD01564F (Request for Certification of Birth Record for Voter ID Purposes Only) form, which collects information such as birth name, mother and father's name and place of birth. This Department of Health form is available at all Driver Licensing Centers.

PennDOT will then forward the completed form to the Department of Health, which maintains birth records. After verifying the birth record is on file, the Department of Health will securely transmit this information to PennDOT. PennDOT will then notify them by letter that their birth record has been confirmed. They may then return to any driver license center, with the above noted documentation, to receive your free photo ID for voting purposes. This verification process will take up to ten days and does not require the payment of a fee.

**Students at least 18 years of age: Accepted proofs of residency include the room assignment paperwork (considered a lease) and one bill with their dorm room address on it. Bank statements, paystubs and credit card bills are all acceptable. Other Individuals who may not have any bills, leases or mortgage documents in their name may bring the person with whom they are living along with their Driver�s License or Photo ID to a driver license center as one proof of residence. Homeless individuals can use the address of a shelter as their residence provided they visit a Driver's License Center with an employee from the shelter that has an employee photo identification issued by the shelter and a letter on the shelter's letterhead indicating that the homeless individual stays at the shelter.

Step 2

When their application and supporting documentation have been reviewed and processed, a Driver License Center staff member will direct the applicant to the Photo Center to have their photo taken for their Photo ID card.

Step 3

Once their photo has been taken, they will be issued a Photo ID card.


So you just want to get a better birth certificate? No problem:

HOW TO GET A PENNSYLVANIA BIRTH CERTIFICATE
From Pennsylvania Department of Health Website

www.dsf.health.state.pa.us/health

An applicant must be eighteen (18) years of age or older to apply for a certified copy

of his/her birth record or the record of an immediate family member. The Division of

Vital Records issues only certified copies of birth with the raised seal that are acceptable for numerous uses, i.e. passport, Social Security, employment, and personal identification. Records are available for births from 1906 to the present.

Eligible Persons Who May Request a Birth Record

• Person named on the birth record

• Legal representative

• Immediate family members (husband; wife; parent/step-parent; brother/sister/half

brother/half sister; son or daughter; stepson/stepdaughter; grandparent/great

grandparent (specify maternal or paternal); grandchild/great grandchild). If the

person named on the birth record is deceased, a family member who is not an

"immediate family member" must submit a copy of the death certificate to be eligible

to receive the birth record. A step-parent or step-child is required to submit

additional documentation supporting their relationship.

• Power of Attorney: If you have been granted Power of Attorney (POA) for the

person named on the record, it will be necessary to submit a notarized POA

document that contains the original signatures of the parties involved, including the

original notary's signature and seal. If you do not wish to send the original POA, you

may file the original notarized POA with the Clerk of Orphans' Court division of the

Court of Common Pleas (usually in the county where the person granting the power

of attorney resides) to obtain a certified copy of this document issued by the court.

You may then submit the certified copy of the POA document that includes the seal

of the court, to our office to process your request. We will return this document to

you upon completion of your request. If you cannot comply with these instructions,

an eligible requestor is required to apply for this record.

Information Required

• Full name at birth of person named on the birth record (if name has changed since

birth due to adoption, court order, or any other reason other than marriage, include

changed name)

• Date of birth

• City and county of birth

• Gender of person named on birth record

• Parents' names, including mother’s maiden name

• Relationship to the person

• Reason for the request (if applicable, include specific information, such as name of

foreign country for which certified copy is needed, etc.)

• Applicant's signature

• Applicant's daytime telephone number, including area code

• Applicant's mailing address

Cost

• $10.00 fee per copy (Please do not send cash. Make check or money order payable

to "Vital Records.")

• This fee may be waived for individuals who served or are currently serving in

the Armed Forces and their dependents.

Online Requests can be made at this website:

http://www.dsf.health.state.pa.us/health/cwp/view.asp?a=168&Q=202184

Obtaining Certified Copies of Birth Records by Mail Request

• Mail requests are processed in approximately three weeks from the date of receipt.

• Include $10.00 fee per copy. Please do not send cash. Make check or money order

payable to “Vital Records." This fee will be waived for individuals who served or are

currently serving in the Armed Forces and their dependents. Refer to application

form for more information.

• The individual requesting the record must submit a legible copy of his or her valid

government issued photo identification. Examples of acceptable identification are a

state issued driver's license or non-driver photo ID that verifies the eligible

requestor's name and current address. If possible, enlarge photo ID on copier by

at least 150%. Photo identification will be shredded after review.

• If you do not have acceptable photo identification, it may be necessary for an

eligible requestor possessing government issued photo ID to apply for the

certified copy of this birth record in your behalf. Eligible requestors must be 18

years of age or older and includes the spouse, parent, grandparent, child,

grandchild, or sibling of the individual whose birth record is being requested. If an

eligible requestor is unable to apply for this record in your behalf, you may complete

and submit a Statement from Requestors Not Possessing Acceptable

Government-Issued Photo ID with two documents verifying your current address.

• If you have been granted Power of Attorney (POA) for the person named on the

record, submit a notarized POA document that contains the original signatures of

the parties involved, including the original notary's signature and seal. If you do not

wish to send the original POA, you may file the original notarized POA with the Clerk

of Orphans' Court division of the Court of Common Pleas (usually in the county

where the person granting the power of attorney resides) to obtain a certified copy of

this document issued by the court. You may then submit the certified copy of the

POA document that includes the seal of the court, to our office to process your

request. We will return this document to you upon completion of your request. If

you cannot comply with these instructions, an eligible requestor is required to apply

for this record.

• The individual requesting the record must mail the completed application form(s)with

a copy of his or her photo identification, payment, and self-addressed stamped

envelope to:

Division of Vital Records

101 South Mercer Street, Room 401

PO Box 1528

New Castle, PA 16101

• All requests must be submitted on an application form and include the signature and

photo ID of the individual requesting the record. To download the application form

for mail requests right click and "Save Target As..." this file to your desktop then

open the file from your desktop by double clicking on it.

Obtaining Certified Copies of Birth Records in Person

You may apply in person at one of the six public offices:

Erie

Division of Vital Records

Erie Branch Office

1910 West 26th Street

Erie, PA 16508-1148

(814) 871-4261

Office Hours

Office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding State

holidays.

Harrisburg

Division of Vital Records

Room 129, Health & Welfare Building

Harrisburg, PA 17120-0012

(717) 772-3480

Office Hours

Office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding State

holidays.

New Castle

Division of Vital Records

Room 401, Central Building

101 South Mercer Street

New Castle, PA 16101

1-877-PA-HEALTH or

(724) 656-3100

Office Hours

Office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding State

holidays.

Philadelphia

Division of Vital Records

110 North 8th Street; Suite 108

Philadelphia, PA 19107-2412

(215) 560-3054

Office Hours

Office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday excluding State

holidays.

Pittsburgh

Division of Vital Records

Room 512, Pittsburgh State Office Building

300 Liberty Avenue

Pittsburgh, PA 15222-1210

(412) 565-5113

Office Hours

Office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding State

holidays.

Scranton

Division of Vital Records

Room 112, Scranton State Office Building

100 Lackawanna Avenue

Scranton, PA 18503-1928

(570) 963-4595

Office Hours

Office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding State

holidays.

http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/voter_id/20978

*In conjunction with Act 18 of 2012, Pennsylvania citizens may request a birth certificate for Voter ID. The certificate will be issued free of charge to those individuals without proper ID that will allow them to vote. The free birth certificate will include a stamp indicating that it is only to be used to obtain identification relevant to voter ID and is not valid for any other purpose.

• If you do not have acceptable photo identification, an eligible requestor possessing government issued photo ID may apply . If an eligible requestor is unable to apply, you may submit a completed Statement from Requestors Not Possessing Acceptable Government-Issued Photo ID with two documents verifying your current address.



Statement from Requestors Not Possessing an Acceptable Government Issued Photo-ID

If you are unable to meet our photo ID requirements, we suggest that an eligible family member submit a request for this record. It will be necessary for the eligible family member to complete and return the enclosed application form with a legible copy of his/her government issued photo-ID. A birth record can be requested by a spouse, parent, sibling, child, grandparent, or grandchild. A death record can be requested by any family member of the person who died. If it is not possible for an eligible family member to apply for a certified copy of this record, you may complete the form below and return it with photocopies of two documents that include your name and current address. Examples of acceptable documents are noted below. Please allow sufficient processing time for review and approval of these documents.

***************************************************************************************I declare that I do not have a government issued photo-ID and that I am presenting the attached two documents, including my name and current address, as proof of identification in order to process my application for a certified copy of birth or death record. (Note: Acceptable documents are a utility bill, car registration, pay stub, bank statement, copy of income tax return/W-2 form, or lease/rental agreement. If your mailing address is a P.O. Box, one of the documents submitted must reflect that you have used the P.O. Box for at least two months.) Submit photocopies, as this documentation will be shredded after review.

By my signature below, I state I am the person whom I represent myself to be herein, and I affirm the information within this form is complete and accurate and made subject to the penalties of 18 Pa.C.S. §4904 relating to unsworn falsification to authorities. In addition, I acknowledge that misstating my identity or assuming the identity of another person may subject me to misdemeanor or felony criminal penalties for identity theft pursuant to 18 Pa.C.S. §4120 or other sections of the Pennsylvania Crimes Code.

Signature of Applicant (Person Making Request)

Date of Signature

Please PRINT the following information:

Name of Applicant

Residence Address:

If PO Box, one document must reflect that you have utilized the P.O. Box for at least two months.

City:

State:

Zip:

Full Name on Birth/Death Record Being Requested

Official Use Only Below This Line

Clerk’s Initials:

Date:

For Use of DVR Staff Only: Please check the two documents presented, which verify the name and current address of the requestor from the list below, and attach photocopies of both documents. Utility bills Bank statement Car registration Pay stubs Income tax return/W-2 Lease/rental agreement Other – Description: Approving Clerk’s Initials

Division of Vital Records
101 S. Mercer Street, P.O. Box 1528
New Castle, PA 16103-1528

www.health.state.pa.us/vitalrecords

Order Online

• The fee for each certified copy of birth is $10.00. An additional $10.00 service fee per each application will be charged to your credit card.

• The birth record(s) or a response to your request will automatically be shipped by UPS Air unless you select regular mail delivery for the Shipping Option. If you do not change the Shipping Option to regular mail, the UPS Air delivery fee will be charged to the credit card used for ordering the certificate. A signature is required for UPS delivery.

• Typical processing time for certified copies of birth certificates with a date of birth of 1968 to the present is ten to fifteen business days (from the date the order is received) which does not include delivery time. For certified copies of birth with a date of birth of prior to 1968, please allow an additional ten to fifteen days for processing time, excluding delivery time.

• The status of a request cannot be verified unless it has been a minimum of two business days from the date request has been submitted.


So how does a university student now in Ohio comply when she did everything right in relying upon her birth certificate?

1 comment:

Jean Clark Caudill said...

I've begun the process of gathering all the documents I will need in order to get a WV license and Voter Registration Card. In addition to my birth certificate (which my husband fortunately located) I will need to order two marriage certificates to prove name changes through Vital Records and will have to pay expedited postage even though it may take them up to 20 days to pull the documents, scan them and send them to me. It's free postage if you let them send it by 3rd class mail but they don't recommend that because they can't track the order that way. Plus in order to get those documents I will have to have the application forms notarized to prove that I am the one who ordered them. I will also have to produce my divorce papers (how's that for an invasion of privacy?). And because I don't pay utilities or rent (provided by the nursing home) one of the office staff will have to take her time out to type up a letter stating that I live where I say I do. And I have not had my original social security card for years. I will have to get a replacement in Petersburg (closest social security office) because I do not have a recent W2 form that is not a photocopy. Fortunately I only work a half day tomorrow so I can run up there in the afternoon. What really angers me about this is not so much what I have to go through to vote (and changes are I won't make the deadline because of the forms from LA County) but if it is such a hassle for me (someone with time, a car, enough money to order what I need, etc.) what about those folks who are working full time during business hours and can't just go to state offices and courthouses to gather this, or who don't have a credit card to order documents online, or don't have money to pay for the fees, etc.? I understand we have to increase security since 9/11 but some of this is just ridiculous and prejudicial towards first time voters, new drivers, the working poor and the underprivileged. Craziness and frustration.