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Illinois Secretary of State offices
have been closed for in-person services until Jan. 18 after a record surge in
statewide COVID-19 cases during the holidays, the department announced.
The renewed office closures by Secretary of State Jesse White began days after
Illinois reported its largest spike in coronavirus cases Dec. 30, with 30,386
new positive cases.
Illinois averaged 18,322 new cases per day during that final week of December –
the highest average daily case rate since the onset of the pandemic. White said
closing drivers facilities will help slow that spread during the next two weeks.
“After careful consideration and out of an abundance of caution, we have decided
to close all driver services facilities beginning Jan. 3, 2022, through Jan. 17,
2022, due to the spike in COVID-19 cases,” White said.
“The health and safety of employees and the public remains paramount, and
face-to-face transactions potentially increase the further spread of the virus.
Our goal is to safely reopen all offices and driver services facilities on
January 18 for face-to-face transactions.”
While the offices remain closed, White encourages the public to visit ilsos.gov
to access online services, including checking eligibility to renew a driver’s
license online, applying for a duplicate driver’s license or renewing license
plate stickers.
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The Secretary of State
has extended all non-commercial driver’s license and ID card
expiration dates to March 31, 2022. The U.S. Department of Homeland
Security has also extended the federal REAL ID deadline to May 3,
2023.
The drivers and vehicles services hotline phone number will also
remain open during this time at 800-252-8980.
The Secretary of State previously closed its doors to Illinoisans in
March 2020 as part of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s first statewide
shutdowns, and again in November 2020, preempting a winter
resurgence in coronavirus cases.
However, this time White’s decision to close the offices marks a
departure from other Illinois state departments – such as the
long-beleaguered Illinois Department of Employment Security, which
had been closed to the public for 531 days after the pandemic’s
start – have continued to offer in-person services through the New
Year surge.
A spokesperson for the Secretary of State said employees continue to
work and be paid to address online requests while the offices remain
closed. |
