That number includes originals, replacements and renewals, so it’s a little hard to draw clear conclusions from it, Miller said, but the hope is that some of the demand for IDs already has been addressed. Overall, about 83 percent of state-issued IDs are now given away free because people say they’re needed for voting purposes, he said.

An additional batch of applications is pending for people who do not have a government-issued birth certificate. A new process allows the state to verify a person’s birth information without the applicant having to pay for or supply a birth certificate. But that number is small so far, too, Miller said. There were just 52 petition applications in the first three days last week, he said.

Those people will have their photo ID cards mailed to them after their birth information is verified. Most should get the cards within six to eight days, Miller said. It is imperative that these voters get to a DMV center sooner rather than later, he said.

Clerks to spend thousands