Secretary of State John Merrill, a Heflin native, said that while he wasn’t happy with the license office closures, it shouldn’t be a barrier to voting. “And the legislature chose to fund a certain amount”.
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“I do have concerns that offices in eight out of 10 majority-minority counties in the state were closed”, Watson said. That won’t make a big dent in the deficit, he said, but it does correct staffing that didn’t make sense. Once again the Republicans are attempting to intimidate voters and harm working people, she said, adding that other cuts in the budget have fallen disproportionately on communities in need.The Alabama Democratic Party is very much opposed to the closure of these offices, Worley said in a phone interview. “If (they’re) not doing at least 2,000 transactions annually, it did not mandate having a driver’s license examiner”.
Alabama issues an average of 1.2 million driver licenses per year, according to ALEA.
Since a 2013 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court invalidated the section of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that required federal approval of voting law changes in states with a history of racial discrimination, members of Congress and voting rights activists have pushed for restoration of the law. Each of those offices is ALEA-owned. No voter will be denied that opportunity regardless of where they reside in our state, Lathan said in an email. Now the examiners will stay in the district offices full-time. “It’s going to be an inconvenience to the citizens of this county”. “We saw this coming long term unfortunately we look at cuts as a necessary part of our existence unfortunately”, Cpl. Alabamians already had to show a few form of identification at the polls in order to cast a vote, but the 2011 law shortened the list to include only government-issued IDs with a photograph. You can also download a copy of your valid driver license to your smartphone via Apple Passbook or Google Wallet. In any case, state officials say it won’t be a problem and that registrars offices where people can get non-driving photo IDs that allow them to vote will remain open.
Several state parks will have reduced hours of operations.
He says 90-percent of voters in Mobile County use a driver’s license but there are many other options.
Macon County: Tuskegee, Gomillion Bldg.
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The schedules for ALEA District Driver License Offices are available online at www.alrenewal.com. “The impact of the changes due to the budget cuts will be lessened because of the implementation of these technology-based services, including online renewals”. The Driver License Division is severely understaffed and has 103 vacant positions as a result of past budget cuts and attrition. Many were in the Black Belt. “Probate Judges and License or Revenue Commissioners will continue to provide the same renewal services they have traditionally handled in their facilities”. Residents also can renew their drivers licenses online.
