The Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson announced on Saturday that its branch offices will be returning to its regularly scheduled hours with limited services and scheduled appointments.
All 131 offices will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesdays. The offices will be closed on Saturdays. The offices originally shifted to operating by appointment only on March 16 and will continue to do so through April 5.
“In our first week offering limited services by appointment only, branch staff have carried out critical transactions for first responders, grocery store drivers and medical personnel — people our society especially needs credentialed to work at this time,” said Benson in a statement. “The best way to show appreciation for the service of our branch staff is to limit your in-person transactions to only those which absolutely must be done at a branch.”
As of Saturday evening, Michigan has 787 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. The state death toll has reach five. There are more than 15,000 confirmed cases and 201 deaths across the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In person services will be limited transactions like title transfers for motor vehicles or first-time issuance for a commercial driver’s license, which allows holders to drive vehicles like tractor-trailers. Other allowed transactions are the first-time issuance of driver’s licenses or the replacement of an Enhanced Driver’s License. The notary service for applications for the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission will also be available.
The Secretary of State has said many services are available online, by mail, or at a self-service station. To make an appointment, see a map of self-service stations, or conduct a transaction online, go to Michigan.gov/SOS. Appointments can also be made by calling 888-SOS-MICH.
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Jordyn Pair is a reporter with Battleground State News and The Michigan Star. Follow her on Twitter at @JordynPair. Email her at [email protected].
Photo “Jocelyn Benson” by Jocelyn Benson.
