Department of Safety & Homeland Security Issues Nearly 700 Voter Photo IDs During Special Saturday Hours
Monday, December 05, 2011 | 10:17am
NASHVILLE --- The Department of Safety and Homeland Security issued 691 photo IDs to voters at no charge during special Saturday hours of operation at 19 state driver service centers on December 3. The figure includes both the number of original photo IDs issued to voters and the number of non-photo driver licenses converted into photo driver licenses. As of Monday, the department had issued a total of 7,833 voter photo IDs since July 1, 2011.
In November, the Department of Safety and Homeland Security started opening certain driver service centers on the first Saturday of each month for voter photo ID issuance only. On November 5, the department issued 663 photo IDs for voting purposes. The 19 driver service centers will continue to be open on the first Saturday of each month through March 2012. The centers will operate during normal business hours, from 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
The next Saturday opening for voter photo ID issuance is on January 7, 2012.
The driver service centers offering voter photo ID issuance on the first Saturday of the month are located in the following counties: Shelby (East Shelby Dr. and Summer Ave.), Davidson (Centennial Blvd. and Hart Lane), Hamilton (both locations), Knox (both locations), Sullivan, Sumner, Rutherford, Washington, Williamson, Montgomery, Blount, Bradley, Putnam, Greene, and Carter. The centers were chosen based on the counties with the highest number of registered voters who hold non-photo driver licenses.
To minimize the possibility of wait times during Saturday hours, groups or organizations planning to make a group visit to a driver service center are encouraged to schedule an appointment by calling Linda Cone at 731-225-0924 or Wanda Adams at 615-251-5309.
Under a new state law, starting in 2012 voters will have to show a state or federal issued photo ID to cast a ballot at the polls in Tennessee.
The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security’s (www.TN.Gov/safety) mission is to ensure the safety and general welfare of the public. The department encompasses the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Office of Homeland Security and Driver License Services. General areas of responsibility include law enforcement, safety education, motorist services and terrorism prevention.
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