With the current global pandemic continuing to change so many aspects of public life and adding a hitherto-unknown amount of risk to the normal routines and habits of so many, this increased risk has also become a factor in the way our upcoming elections will be run. Traditionally, most votes are cast in person at the polling places, according to the Pew Research Center, only about 21 percent of all voters cast their vote by mail in the 2016 election. Even with attempts across the country to expand access to voting by mail, many are still expected to cast their votes in person. Meaning that polling places and Secretary of State offices across the country are going to have to seriously change their policies in order to better protect voters.
The Illinois Department of Health has published a series of guidelines and requirements for any and all polling places that will be opening this year on November 3rd and are requiring every election authority to write up a COVID-19 prevention plan for every polling place that they plan to open. These plans must include specific safety instructions and training for cleaning and disinfecting the space after use, configuration for social distancing through the use of traffic flow guidelines and physical barriers when necessary, guidelines to ensure compliance with requirements for social distancing, and other necessary precautions. Election authorities are also being encouraged to move polling places that are currently located at nursing homes, long-term care facilities, and senior living residences in order to minimize exposure to vulnerable individuals. The guidelines also stress the importance of instructional signs, social distancing measures, masks, crowd control, the replacement of shared objects with single-use objects, and other similar measures. All of these guidelines and requirements have been put into place in order to better protect the public while still trying to ensure as painless an experience as possible for those who plan to vote. Anyone planning to vote in person this November should be prepared to wait in line longer than they have in the past and to be more conscientious of not only how they cast their ballot but also of how the way they cast their ballot may affect those around them.
Joseph Doner - Staff Writer
Feature Image: "Kentucky National Guard" by The National Guard is licensed under CC BY 2.0