Greater Rochester Residents can discuss Challenges with the Secretary of State (SOS) Appointment-Only System
State Rep. Mark Tisdel has invited Greater Rochester residents to share their experiences with the appointment-only system for Michigan Secretary of State offices.
Residents can share any difficulties they have experienced trying to book an appointment by filling out an online form.
“During the pandemic, many neighbors, especially our senior citizens, in the Greater Rochester area have told me about their attempts to get an appointment at the Secretary of State,” said Tisdel, of Rochester Hills. “We recently learned that in-person services will still be accessible only by appointment regardless of COVID-19, and I encourage people to speak up about the challenging SOS appointment system.”
When the COVID-19 pandemic first hit Michigan, the Department of State closed all branch offices out of precaution. In June 2020, the department reopened offices for in-person services by appointment only, requiring residents to reserve a timeslot online or by calling a toll-free phone line. Available appointments are often entirely reserved months in advance, and the limited next-day appointments the SOS offers can be difficult to book. The department announced in April that branches will be permanently adopting the appointment-only system.
Greater Rochester area residents who are currently in need of assistance with the Secretary of State can contact Tisdel’s office directly by calling 517-373-1773 or emailing MarkTisdel@house.mi.gov.
About Rochester Media
I have been involved in designing and using web sites since 1991. I have never seen as an incompetent and ridiculous way to access one as the current SoS system. I tried for days to access an appointment as I needed license tags and to upgrade my drivers license to an enhanced one. You have less than 10 seconds, to answer 7 questions and 3 check boxes AFTER choosing a time at 8AM or 12PM. of course by the time you do and submit, it comes back with a No times available until THREE months out. You can only reserve for the next day. You cannot reserve one for 3 days or a week, ONLY 3 months or more out. This has to result in many people not being able to conduct business.
I got frustrated and wrote the SoS and Attorney General’s offices to complain. A couple of weeks later, I received a call from a nice lady in Lansing, at the SoS, who offered to make an appointment for me. I picked a day and time and she said her manager would make it for me, notifying me a day before. It all worked fine, but begs the question as to WHY it is so hard and very limited access, to one of the biggest revenue generators for the state? I do NOT buy the virus excuse at all. I did find out that the state has CLOSED a number of offices. They took a system that was working for walk ins and destroyed access for the public. They say only 40% of people are doing walk in. So why are they restricting it?
This is NOT customer service, good web design, or competent management, of a required state-public department!!! We need to overhaul it and make them accountable, NOW!