Minnesota
Related: About this forumTrouble getting a Minnesota driver's license? Here's why. - strib
(snip)
Between last October and May, the agency had about 100,000 more requests for licensing services including renewals than in the same time period the year before. As a result, DVS isn't meeting the legal requirement to provide testing appointments within 14 days of a request for service.
There are multiple reasons for the congestion in the licensing system.
About 30% of the increase is attributed to standard ID applications and renewals. The Driver's License for All law, which went into effect in October 2023, ended a 20-year requirement that people show proof of legal residency to be tested for a standard license. At the same time, DVS says there has been an increase in requests for Real IDs, which will be required for domestic air travel starting next year. Top all that off with a years-old staffing shortage.
DVS has filled 12 new positions for written and road test examiners, as well as four other clerical and behind-the-scenes staff, that were funded as part of the 2023 law. The agency secured money to hire 30 more examiners in the coming year, which Peterson said will go a long way toward meeting the goal of 160 examiners statewide. There are currently about 120. Most new and future examiners will work at metro exam locations, where the demand is highest.
More..
https://www.startribune.com/drivers-license-minnesota-dvs/600377818/
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rampartc
(5,835 posts)2. make id hard to get.
dflprincess
(28,340 posts)dflprincess
(28,340 posts)Currently the DFL controls the governorship and the state House of representantives. One state senator recently resigned to run for Congress so the state Senate is tied. But the legislature doesn't meet again until next January.
The governor is not up for re-election this year. Come November we will need to win the one Senate race & hold on to the House. As of now I don't see voter ID having much of a chance here for several years.
And, we have same day registration & make that as easy as possible. A photo ID is required, but a wide variety is accepted & it can be expired if you can also produce a current utility bill proving your residence.
https://www.sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting/register-to-vote/register-on-election-day/
An old, but interesting article about how it was defeated in 2012.
https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/how-minnesotas-voter-id-amendment-was-defeated
progree
(11,389 posts)Eight in 10 Americans Favor Early Voting, Photo ID Laws
https://news.gallup.com/poll/403052/eight-americans-favor-early-voting-photo-laws.aspx
36 states have voter ID laws
https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/voter-id
It's not 2012 anymore when it was just a handful of redneck states.