Democrats critical of Corbett administration's lack of voter education

(Harrisburg) -- Democrats on the House Appropriations Committee say Governor Corbett's administration isn't doing enough to prepare for the possibility that the state's voter-identification law will be in effect for the November election.

At a budget hearing today, Secretary of State Carol Aichele defended her department's efforts, saying it used one-time federal money in a $5 million campaign to explain the law to voters last year. The requirement that voters show photo ID at the polls wasn't enforced.

Aichele says no federal funds are available this year and no state money's set aside for a similar outreach effort if the courts resolve a challenge to the law's constitutionality before the election. The photo ID provision won't be enforced in the May primary.

But Democrats say it's irresponsible not to plan ahead.