Coronavirus fears lead to Lee County poll worker shortage

The City of Fort Myers has voted unanimously to allow city employees to volunteer as poll workers for the primary election.

THEREFORE, FOR MR. JENKINS TOWITHDRAW FROM HIS RUN FOR COUNTYCOMMISSION IN DISTRICT 1."WE’RE JUST ABOUT TWO WEEKS AWAYFROM FLORIDA’S PRIMARY ELECTION.WHILE LESS PEOPLE ARE EXPECTEDTO SHOW UP AT THE POLLS THANKSTO VOTE-BY-MAIL BALLOTS -- THEREIS STILL A NEED FOR POLLWORKERS.RIGHT NOW -- THE CITY OF FORTMYERS IS DISCUSSING HOW THEY CANHELP MANAGE THE POLL WORKERSHORTAGE LOCALLY.FOX 4’S SANDRA RODRIGUEZ JOINSUS LIVE FROM CITY HALL WITH WHATTHAT SHORTAGE LOOKS LIKESANDRA?WELL, THE LEE COUNTY SUPERVISOROF ELECTIONS TELLS ME THEY AREDOWN ABOUT 1,000 POLL WORKERSRIGHT NOW━ THIS SHORTAGE ALSOIMPACTING THE NUMBER OF POLLINGLOCATIONS THAT WILL BE OPEN FOTHE STATE’S PRIMARY COME AUGUST18TH.0:00 - 0:101:31:00(Tommy Doyle, Lee CountySupervisor of Elections):"Normally we’ll work with 2,000poll workers.

Leading up a fewweeks ago when we start ourtraining we were at about 900scheduled for training."SOME OF THOSE POLLS WORKERSALREADY DROPPING OUT AS WELLBUT LEE COUNTY SUPERVISOR OFELECTIONS━ TOMMY DOYLE━ SAYSTHIS SHORTAGE OF POLL WORKERSCOMES AT NO SURPRISE17:19(Tommy Doyle, Lee CountySupervisor of Elections):"We knew we were going to have ashort of poll workers long agobecause we sent out availabilityletters to all our poll workersthat we have on record."MANY RESPONDING THEY WOULD NOTRETURN OVER CORONAVIRUSCONCERNSNOW, LESS POLL WORKERS━ MEANSLESS POLLING LOCATIONS45:14(Tommy Doyle, Lee CountySupervisor of Elections):"We consolidated some precinctsfrom 125 to 96, we’re probablygoing to have a few less workersat each location."TO MANAGE THIS SHORTAGE DOYLEIS TURNING TO THE CITY OF FORTMYERS FOR HELP...2:03:10(Tommy Doyle, Lee CountySupervisor of Elections):"The governor put out anemergency order allowing stateworkers to take administrativeleave to work Election Day."ON MONDAY━ THE CITY OF FORTMYERS IS SET TO DISCUSS ADOPTINGA POLICY THAT WOULD ALLOW CITYEMPLOYEES TO VOLUNTEER AS POLLWORKERS2:14:03(Tommy Doyle, Lee CountySupervisor of Elections):"They would allow them up to10-hours for training and16-hours for Election Day."DOYLE SAYS A GOOD WAY TO AVOIDLONG LINES IS TO VOTE EARLYSTARTING SATURDAY AUGUST 8TH ORVOTE-BY-MAIL3:14:03"If they want to come to thepolls, just be prepared because,because of COVID and theprotocols that we have to adhereto with cleaning and sanit