FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 15, 2022

Contact: Tracy Wimmer

(517) 281-1876??

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Benson cuts ?ribbons? for Detroit?s new office, improved operations statewide

At a ribbon-cutting ceremony today, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson cut two ribbons. The first was a traditional ribbon, to mark the grand opening of the department?s newest branch office in Detroit. The second was a ribbon of numbered tickets from one of the old red number dispensers, to mark the end of the take-a-ticket-and-wait system that for years doomed visitors to hours-long wait times.

?Our new Detroit office helps address inequity built up over decades of disinvestment and office closures by previous secretaries of state that forced Detroiters to wait in our lobbies for hours,? said Benson. ?Now, at this office and every office in the state, all visitors are in and out in an average of 20 minutes or less as we continue to make our services more convenient and efficient for all Michiganders.?

The new office at 580 East Warren Avenue began serving residents at the beginning of the month, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on all weekdays but Wednesdays, when it is open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Like all Secretary of State offices, visitors can walk up for service or schedule ahead. Most schedule their visits and of those who walk up, more than 80% are served immediately. Residents who arrive when the office is busy are helped to schedule a return visit within 24 hours.

Benson?s administration has also doubled the number of services available online and at self-service stations and installed more than 160 of the new machines statewide, mostly at Meijer, Kroger and other grocery stores. Now 60% of all transactions are conducted outside of Secretary of State offices, making it easy for those who need an office visit to schedule one and be in and out quickly.

Residents can access Secretary of State online services at Michigan.gov/SOS. They can schedule an office visit at the same site or by calling 888-SOS-MICH.

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Secretary Benson cuts a traditional ribbon to launch the new Detroit Secretary of State office on East Warren Ave.

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Secretary Benson assists as Jeron Bushong, director of the Branch Operations Division, cuts an old take-a-number tape.

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The new Secretary of State office at 580 East Warren Ave. in Detroit.

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