Michigan Department of State: 200K REAL IDs issued in past few months
The push to get Michiganders' identification cards replaced with federally-compliant REAL ID cards has resulted in 200,000 IDs issued to residents over a period of three months, the Michigan Department of State announced Friday.
Department employees either issued new or upgraded REAL IDs over the past 12 weeks, bringing the state into more than 76% compliance with a new U.S. requirement for REAL ID in order to travel domestically by air.
A REAL ID is a driver's license or state identification card that has been verified with proof of U.S. citizenship and proof of legal residence in the U.S. They are distinguishable by the gold star in the upper right-hand corner. Per a change in federal law, Michigan residents as of May 7 are required to present a REAL ID-complaint card when attempting to fly anywhere in the U.S. The IDs also allow entrance to certain federal facilities as allowed by federal law. Overall, the IDs have protections against copying or altering identification information.
REAL IDs are different from Michigan's enhanced IDs and driver's licenses, which allow entry to and from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda or the Caribbean by land or sea. Enhanced IDs, however, are also REAL ID compliant.
A news release issued Friday said Secretary of State branch offices served more than 90% of those customers within 20 minutes of their scheduled appointment times, signaling that the transition has been relatively smooth thus far.
'The hardworking staff at our branch offices throughout the state rose to this challenge and set a new standard of exceptional public service,' Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said in a statement. 'I'm grateful for their dedication and commitment to excellence, which ensured a smooth process for Michiganders during a potentially disruptive transition. This is what it means to have a state government that truly works for people.'
A total of 202,571 REAL ID-compliant driver's licenses or state IDs were issued between February 23 and May 17. The week of May 4 was said to be the busiest this year, with 28,289 identification cards converted to REAL ID.
SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Miami Herald
2 days ago
- Miami Herald
How real estate deals can affect you: From Donald Trump to your agent
Real Estate News How real estate deals can affect you: From Donald Trump to your agent These three articles examine the impact of real estate decisions on property owners and buyers. One article discusses how Donald Trump used his name to rebrand a condo in South Florida, yet the strategy didn't significantly boost sales, leading to eventual removal of the Trump name from the building. Another report highlights how inexperienced real estate agents often engage with clients despite inadequate training, potentially jeopardizing property transactions. Another reveals that "pocket listing" agreements may cost sellers, as properties not listed on the MLS can sell for less than market-listed alternatives, impacting seller profits substantially. See the articles below. A unit at Trump Plaza in West Palm Beach in 1987. NO. 1: HOW DONALD TRUMP PUT HIS NAME ON A SOUTH FLORIDA BUILDING FOR THE FIRST TIME A year after he bought Mar-a-Lago, he took on a new venture. | Published January 9, 2025 | Read Full Story by Miami Herald Archives A sale pending sign for a home. By Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard NO. 2: BEWARE OF ROOKIES: WHY YOUR REAL ESTATE AGENT MATTERS WHEN SELLING YOUR HOME Why you should be on the lookout. | Published April 2, 2025 | Read Full Story by LEW SICHELMAN For sale sign. Stock image of a For Sale sign. The proposed legislation comes as house prices exceed affordability for numerous parts of the U.S. NO. 3: WHY 'POCKET LISTING' AGREEMENTS WITH REALTORS CAN COST YOU THOUSANDS A new rule regarding listing houses for sale allows sellers to opt out of placing their homes into their local multiple listing service, the idea being to give their agents extra time to peddle the place within their own companies and their networks of potential do you really want to withhold your property from the widest possible audience just to give your agent a chance to bank the entire commission, or at least keep the payday in-house? | Published April 9, 2025 | Read Full Story by LEW SICHELMAN The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Latest Georgia election roll purge targets nearly 478K inactive voters
The Brief Georgia election officials are removing nearly 478,000 names from voter rolls, targeting inactive voters who haven't responded to previous notices, in compliance with federal and state laws. Voting rights advocates, like the ACLU of Georgia, express concerns that the purge could disenfranchise eligible voters, particularly those who are more mobile, such as renters and younger voters. Georgia has a history of significant voter-registration purges, with previous efforts drawing scrutiny and legal challenges, highlighting ongoing tensions between maintaining accurate voter rolls and ensuring voter access. ATLANTA - Georgia election officials have begun the process of removing nearly 478,000 names from the state's voter rolls, marking one of the largest registration cancellations in state history. What they're saying The Secretary of State's office confirmed Thursday that letters have been mailed to voters whose registrations have been deemed inactive. Recipients have 40 days from the date they receive the notice to confirm or update their registration or risk being removed from the rolls. "This is really good election administration," said Gabriel Sterling, Chief Operating Officer for the Secretary of State's office. "We're doing the stuff we can to remove people who we know are no longer there." Sterling emphasized that the initiative targets only voters who have been inactive for more than four years and failed to respond to previous notices. "You didn't contact your elections office, you have returned mail, we have evidence you moved out of state and we sent you a letter and you didn't respond," he said. He also noted that the effort complies with both federal and state law and has been in practice in Georgia and other states for decades. The other side However, voting-rights advocates are raising alarms about the potential consequences. Andrea Young, Executive Director of the ACLU of Georgia, said the mass removal could disenfranchise eligible voters—particularly those who move frequently or belong to more transient populations such as renters and younger voters. "They're more mobile. They're not necessarily tracking all this paperwork," Young said. "We consider it a purge." Young added that election reforms should focus on helping vulnerable Georgians access the ballot rather than risk removing them from the rolls. "If they're going to go through and look at how to make voting in Georgia better, it should be to make it easier for the most vulnerable members of our community," she said. Local perspective Georgia previously canceled over 500,000 registrations in 2017. Zachary Peskowitz, a political science professor at Emory University, said the current effort affects fewer voters by comparison. "We're talking about fewer than 10 percent," Peskowitz said. Sterling said Georgia currently has about 8.25 million registered voters. The cleanup could bring that number down to around 7.75 million. What you can do Voters can check their registration status at Timeline Georgia has conducted several significant voter‑registration purges in recent years, drawing scrutiny from election experts, courts, and rights advocates. Here's a look at the major efforts: In late 2023, the state removed nearly 190,000 active registrations and placed more than 305,000 others into inactive status over concerns that voters had moved or not voted in multiple elections. Under this "biennial maintenance," voters who do not respond to mailed notices within 40 days risk losing active status and could be removed by 2025. In December 2019, Georgia election officials purged nearly 309,000registrations, placing many on inactive status for not voting or contacting election authorities in the prior seven years. A federal judge later heard arguments from Fair Fight Action to halt the purge. In 2019, a federal judge allowed the December purge to proceed but required better notification, especially ahead of special elections. In 2021, nearly 5,000 voters were reinstated via court order. Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger released a public list of nearly 102,000 voters in June 2021, to be removed during routine maintenance unless they responded to notices. The list included around 67,000 who filed postal-change-of-address forms and 34,000 with undeliverable election mail. Officials emphasized that those who respond within 40 days could have their registrations reactivated. Why you should care Over the past six years, Georgia's voter‑list maintenance efforts have escalated in scope and intensity, from routine purges to highly visible, court‑challenged removals. With nearly a half‑million registrations scheduled for July 2025, the tension between ensuring accurate voter rolls and preserving voter access continues to dominate the state's electoral landscape. The Source FOX 5's Christopher King spoke with Gabriel Sterling, Chief Operating Officer for the Secretary of State's office; Andrea Young, Executive Director of the ACLU of Georgia; and Zachary Peskowitz, a political science professor at Emory University, for this article. Previous FOX 5 Atlanta reporting was also used.
The Hill
4 days ago
- The Hill
Challenge to Michigan ban on taxpayer-funded abortions rejected
A Michigan judge rejected a challenge to the state's longtime ban on taxpayer-funded abortions for low-income residents. The lawsuit argued that the ban had no standing after Michiganders voted in 2022 to pass a constitutional amendment ensuring the right to an abortion. Judge Brock A. Swartzle ruled that the group that filed the lawsuit had no standing to file the challenge. The Michigan American Civil Liberties Union, along with the law firm Goodwin Procter, filed the lawsuit on behalf of the YWCA Kalamazoo, which provides financial help to people seeking abortion care. ACLU Michigan estimates that 77 percent of the people YWCA Kalamazoo provides financial assistance to qualify for Medicaid. In the lawsuit, the plaintiffs ask the court to declare the abortion-coverage ban unconstitutional and allow Michigan to join the 17 other states that cover abortion through Medicaid programs. Swartzle argued in his decision that since the YWCA is a non-profit and not an individual, it does not have the legal right to present the challenge. 'The YWCA is not an individual and it, as a nonprofit organization, does not have reproductive freedom,' he wrote. 'Further, the YWCA does not provide abortion care and is not directly affected by a law that denies funding for abortions.' 'Even if it could be considered 'someone' in a corporate sense, there is no allegation there is no allegation that it was penalized, prosecuted, or adversely acted against by the state,' the decision adds. In Michigan, Medicaid only covers abortion in order to save the life of the pregnant person or when the pregnancy was the result of rape or incest. A spokesperson for ACLU Michigan did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
