Your editorial alleging that Pennsylvania's voter ID statute is designed to disenfranchise eligible voters ignores many basic facts ("Vote suppression in Pa.," Aug. 17).
Under the statute, Pennsylvania will be giving out the requisite state IDs free of charge. In addition, multiple forms of identification are acceptable, including driver's licenses, passports, military IDs, college IDs, and government employee IDs.
Furthermore, anyone who presents a Social Security card and two proofs of residence will get the requisite ID and voters who have no ID will be allowed to cast a provisional ballot pending proof of identity within six days.
All of these provisions to assist eligible voters to obtain the necessary proof of identity show how unfounded your charges of voter suppression are. Valid efforts to assure that only eligible voters cast ballots are necessary steps to assure an honest election, not voter suppression.
Evan Alevizatos Chriss, Baltimore
