Pitt medical student encounters problems at polls

Amol Koldhekar got to the polls before 7 a.m. to ensure he had plenty of time to vote. The only problem Koldhekar, a Pitt medical student, expected to run into was with the spelling of his last name.

Koldhekar, who voted at the Shepherd Wellness Community Center in Bloomfield, has voted in his precinct before, which means he didn’t need to bring photo ID with him.

“I was really careful to make sure that I knew the rules,” Koldhekar said.

When he arrived at the polling place, however, one of the workers said he needed to show his ID before he cast his ballot. Koldhekar presented his Pitt ID, which the worker claimed was insufficient since it wouldn’t be considered acceptable ID to get Koldhekar into a bar.

Although the workers eventually allowed Koldhekar to cast his vote — for Hillary Clinton — he was frustrated by the difficulty he ran into at the polls. Koldhekar posted on Twitter about the incident to make sure that other votes, especially first-time voters, are aware of their rights.

“Minorities are more likely to have their registration challenged,” Koldhekar said. “You shouldn’t have to fight for your right to vote.”