State’s Response to Rural Driver’s License Office Closures not Enough for the Black Belt

Andrew Yeager | October 8, 2015

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Calls are growing for the Justice Department to investigate how the closure of 31 rural driver’s license offices may affect voting. The state closed those offices last week due to budget cuts. The problem, say civil rights advocates, is residents must have a photo ID to vote. The most common ID is a driver’s license and Alabama now has 31 fewer places to get a new drivers license. Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald says state officials are taking steps to address the situation, but it’s not enough for the Black Belt. That area of the state is poor, largely African American and disproportionately hit by the closures.