So people cant just be mailed a form, fill out the form and mail the form back and get a Photo ID?The idea behind this is that there is a chunk of the state -- usually called the Black Belt -- that is very black and very Democrat, and is also very very poor. Like hillbilly methhead third world shit in a bucket because you have no running water poor. And in rural Alabama counties (of any color) there tends to be only one license office in the whole county, a desk at the courthouse, and it's only open during weekdays.
So it's inconvenient to get a license/ID for the first time, because you have to get there, have $25 or whatever, and probably don't have any proof of who you are. On the other hand, Alabama cares less about that than most states (unless you pay extra for the federally compliant ID that is valid for domestic air travel), and once you have it you can renew by mail forever. (Eye tests for drivers? Fuck that, it might cost tax dollars.)
That's the theory, anyway.