Poll workers told to 'act surprised' if asked about no mask

O'FALLON, Mo. (AP) — Poll workers who signed up to work the November election in a county near St. Louis were urged in an email to “act surprised” if voters ask why they aren’t wearing masks given the coronavirus threat, but the elections director said Thursday that the message was misinterpreted.

The St. Charles County Election Authority sent the email to poll workers on Wednesday. It says workers will not be required to wear a mask on Nov. 3 but must keep one near them and put it on if a voter asks.

“You may act surprised that you don’t have a face mask on properly and then apologize as you put the mask on,” the email states. “Wear your mask correctly until the voter leaves the polling place. Please do this every time a voter says something to you.”

Kurt Bahr, the county’s director of elections, said the email was simply poorly worded.

"The phrase ‘act surprised’ was intended to communicate, ‘Don’t have a debate or dialogue with the voter, don’t have any type of discussion that’s going to slow down the line, just put the mask on, take care of the voter and keep the mask on while they are there in the polling place,’” Bahr said.

In fact, the point of the email was to communicate an upgraded mask policy for election workers, Bahr said. After the August primary election, the county decided that rather than simply encouraging workers to wear masks, it would require them in November to have one nearby, such as on their ear, under their chin or on a lanyard, and to put it on if a voter asks.

“Unfortunately, that phrase has caused people to think that somehow we are downplaying the need for masks when in fact we are increasing the requirement for masks,” Bahr said.

Missouri doesn't have a statewide mask mandate and St. Charles...