Coronavirus Preparations for Elections

We are following all CDC guidelines regarding the coronavirus and attending briefings held by the Orange County mayor. We have advised all staff about the coronavirus, are giving staff updates as needed, and have instructed staff to stay home if they are sick or have traveled to the affected areas.

As always, we have back-up poll workers trained for Election Day. All early voting locations and polling places will have a limited supply of wipes and hand sanitizer, and poll workers have instructions to wipe down the check-in area, tablets, voting booths and pens.

Voters are welcome to bring their own pen to mark their ballot if they choose, as well as their own wipes and hand sanitizer. Voters also have the option to have a designee pick up a vote-by-mail ballot for them up to Monday, March 16th. More information about this option can be found on our Vote-By-Mail page.

Find more information about the presidential preference primary and municipal elections here

Below is a statement from Arizona, Florida, Illinois and Ohio chief elections officials.

CONTACT: Mark Ard
                    850-245-6529
                    [email protected]

Statement From Arizona, Florida, Illinois and Ohio Chief Elections Officials

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The following statement is attributable to Secretary of State Kathy Hobbs (AZ), Secretary of State Laurel M. Lee (FL), Elections Board Chairman Charles Scholz (IL) and Secretary of State Frank LaRose (OH): As each of our four states prepare for voters to head to the polls on Tuesday, March 17, 2020, we are working closely with our state health officials to ensure that our poll workers and voters can be confident that voting is safe.

Unlike concerts, sporting events or other mass gatherings where large groups of people travel long distances to congregate in a confined space for an extended period of time, polling locations see people from a nearby community coming into and out of the building for a short duration.

Further, guidance from voting machine manufacturers on how best to sanitize machines, guidance from CDC on best practices for hand washing, and guidance from our respective state health officials is being provided to every polling location.

Americans have participated in elections during challenging times in the past, and based on the best information we have from public health officials, we are confident that voters in our states can safely and securely cast their ballots in this election, and that otherwise healthy poll workers can and should carry out their patriotic duties on Tuesday.

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