Protecting the safety of poll workers is of particular concern this year; Idahoans over the age of sixty typically make up the majority of poll workers, and because of their age, they are at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19, according to the World Health Organization.
UNTIL THEPRESIDENTIALELECTION.OVER THE PAST TWOWEEKS...WE'VE BEENTAKING A CLOSERLOOK AT VOTINGACCESS... SAFETY...AND SECURITY IN THEGEM STATE.IT'S PART OF OURREBOUND IDAHOSERIES... TO KEEPYOU INFORMED...THROUGHOUT THEPANDEMIC... SO WECAN ALL BOUNCEBACK TOGETHER.AS WE'VEREPORTED.
IDAHOSTATE OFFICIALSPLAN TO OFFER BOTHIN-PERSON ANDABSENTEE VOTING INNOVEMBER.TONIGHT... OURMADELINE WHITE...LOOKS INTOCONCERNS ABOUTPROTECTING POLLWORKERS."THE WORLD HEALTHORGANIZATION SAYSTHAT EVIDENCESUGGESTS PEOPLEOVER THE AGE OFSIXTY ARE AT HIGHERRISK FOR SEVEREILLNESS FROMCOVID-19.
THIS SAMEAGE GROUPTYPICALLY MAKES UPTHE MAJORITY OFPOLL WORKERS INIDAHO.""IN MY POLLWORKING CLASS, AT42 I WAS BY FAR ONEOF THE YOUNGESTPEOPLE IN THEROOM."JAMIE BORGE SAYSSHE WORKED AT ANADA COUNTY POLLEARLIER THIS YEARBEFORE THECORONAVIRUS TOOKHOLD OF IDAHO.POLL WORKERSTYPICALLY WORKABOUT FOURTEENHOUR DAYS ONELECTION DAY ANDNOVEMBER 3RD ISON A WEEKDAY."YOU DON'T LEAVE,YOU WORK THEWHOLE DAY, SO IT'SSURPRISING TO METHAT SOME SENIORSARE UP FOR THATBUT THEY HAVE THESCHEDULES IFTHEY'RE RETIRED TOUM HAVE THE TIMETO DO THAT,WHEREAS A LOT OFWORKING PEOPLECAN'T JUST TAKETHE WHOLE DAY OFFAND DO THAT."THIS IS WHY JAMIESAYS SHE'S NOTDOING IT AGAIN THISYEAR AND THATSHE'D PREFER ANABSENTEE ONLYGENERAL ELECTION,LIKE THE PRIMARYWAS IN THE SPRING."I MEAN THE LASTTHING I'D WANT TODO IS HAVESOMEBODY GIVINGOF THEMSELVES TOBE A POLL WORKER,AND THENCONTRACTINGCORONAVIRUS ANDENDING THEIR LIVES,IT'S INCREDIBLY SAD,SCARY, IT'S NOTOKAY TO ASKPEOPLE TO DOTHAT."ADA COUNTY CLERKPHIL MCGRANE SAYSHE HEARS THAT."MANY OF THECLERKS AROUNDTHE STATE WOULDSTRONGLY PREFERTO SEE IT BE ANALL-MAIL ELECTION,BECAUSE OF THECHALLENGES OFFINDING POLLINGLOCATIONS, FINDINGPOLL WORKERS, ANDTHE PUBLIC HEALTHCONCERNS."AND HE SAYS HEPLANS TO PRESENTTHESE ISSUES TOLAWMAKERS"A LOT OF OURTRADITIONAL POLLWORKERS ARE INTHAT VULNERABLEPOPULATION ANDHAVE SOMECONCERNS ABOUTDOING IT."IN THE SPECIALLEGISLATIVE SESSIONON THE ELECTIONTO BE HELD AT THEEND OF THIS MONTH."THERE'S A GREATCONCERN ARE WEGOING TO BE ABLETO FIND ENOUGHPOLL WORKERS?
WEREALLY ARELOOKING FORPEOPLE IN THECOMMUNITY WHOARE WILLING TOCOME IN ANDVOLUNTEER THEIRTIME THAT DAY TOFACILITATE THIS."HE HOPESLEGISLATORS GIVESPECIAL ATTENTIONTO THE NUMBER.SECURITY.
ANDTYPES OF POLLINGVENUES"LIKE LARGEENOUGH FACILITIES,CAN WE USE A HIGHSCHOOL GYMRATHER THAN LIKEAN ENTRY WAY,"AND HOPES THEYCONSIDERPROVIDINGPROTECTIVE GEARFOR THEIRPOLLWORKERS."BUT THAT'S WHEREWE NEED THELEGISLATURESASSISTANCE, ISBEING ABLE TOCONSOLIDATE SOMEOF OUR POLLINGLOCATIONS TOADDRESS THECONCERNS LIKEFINDING POLLWORKERS."MCGRANE SAYS IT'SRELIEVING TO KNOWTHAT ABOUT 40PERCENT OF THESTATE'S REGISTEREDVOTERS HAVEALREADYREQUESTED ANABSENTEE BALLOTMEANING POLLSMAY NOT BE ASCROWDED AS INYEAR'S PAST."WE'LL KEEP YOUUPDATED ON HOWTHE STATE PLANS TOPROTECT POLLWORKERS IN THENOVEMBER THIRDELECTION.POLL WORKERS AREPAID FOR THEIRTIME.
IN THEROUGHLY 900PRECINCTS IN DAHO.IF YOU FEELCOMFORTABLE WITHRISKING IT AND AREINTERESTED INAPPLYING.
CONTACTYOUR COUNTYCLERK FOR MOREINFORMATION.MADELINE WHITEIDAHO NEWS 6DR. ANTHONYFAUCI... HAS SAID --AS LONG ASGUIDELINES AREFOLLOWED -- HETHINKS IN-PERSONVOTING CAN HAPPENSAFELY.THOUGH HE SAYSVULNERABLEPOPULATIONS... AREBETTER OFF VOTINGABS
Municipal elections during the pandemic
