Local

NH RMV tells woman her signature is unacceptable

EXETER, N.H. — For nearly four decades, there was an undeniable flair to Elizabeth Mackey’s signature.

“It’s either my first and last name, but it’s all connected and with my y. I swoop it up and do a smiley face, or I do the E-A, and then my last name and then a smiley face underneath it, depending,” Mackey said.

That little smiley face is as unique as Elizabeth’s personality.

It’s always been there, it is my little logo, I got it tattooed on me when I was old enough to get one by myself, without having parents freak out over it,” Mackey explained.

Elizabeth never gave that little smile much thought, until recently, when she tried to renew her NH driver’s license and was told in an email, and over the phone, the little smile had to go.

“I was surprised to learn from the DMV I couldn’t have it anymore,” Mackey said.

Elizabeth went back to the RMV, got a new license, one without the smiley face to replace the old one that featured it.

I tried to ask the NH RMV why Elizabeth’s old signature was now unacceptable, I never got a response.

Leaving Elizabeth to re-learn her own signature, without that little smile that was once her little trademark.

“I feel like a part of my identity has been taken away, as sad as that sounds,” said Mackey.

But Mackey added, the little signature smile might not be gone for good.

“It’s going to take some adjusting [to the new signature], but I’ll get there, whether I like it or not,” Mackey said. “Every now and then, I’m going a throw one in to shake up the bee’s nest,” she quickly added.