Atchison County Clerk Susette Taylor, left, is pictured with Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, right. Ashcroft delivered supplies to Atchison County Tuesday, May 19.

Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft wrapped up a 5,046-mile, two-week trip May 22, visiting every county in Missouri delivering face masks, distancing strips, sanitizer, face shields and posters to local election authorities for the upcoming 2020 elections.

Over the last two weeks, Ashcroft drove the equivalent of a trip from Miami, Florida, to Anchorage, Alaska, crisscrossing the state to deliver nearly 17,000 face masks and 17,000 face shields, more than 500 gallons of sanitizer, 1,200 8-ounce pump bottles of hand sanitizer, 16,000 posters advocating physical distancing and more than 40,000 bright yellow floor strips to set distancing expectations.

“We have been working for months to secure the supplies that local election officials need to ensure the safety of our upcoming elections. Delivering these supplies to each of our 116 local election authorities the past two weeks provided a great opportunity to speak personally with them. You can have a different kind of conversation when you’re face-to-face. I also wanted to personally thank the county clerks because they are working very hard to keep your elections running smoothly.”

“I want Missouri voters to know that we are working together on the local, state and federal levels to take every precaution to make voting safe and streamlined in the upcoming elections,” Ashcroft said.

Election authorities work to protect voters

Precautions to slow the spread of COVID-19 are now part of our daily lives, and Atchison County voters can expect to see some related changes when they go to the polls to vote in the rescheduled election June 2.

Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft visited election authorities in Northwest Missouri Tuesday, May 19, and delivered some of the supplies needed, including masks, sanitizer, and face shields, to the Atchison County Courthouse. “Secretary Ashcroft and his staff have gone out of their way to assist election authorities with needed supplies,” commented Atchison County Clerk Susette Taylor. “In addition, I want to thank Holladay Distilling Company in Weston, Missouri, for their very generous donation of Helping Hands sanitizer.”

“It’s been challenging preparing for an election in the middle of a pandemic, but I feel confident we’re going to get through this and take it one day at a time,” Taylor said.

Clerk Taylor and her election team will take additional steps with their 1-2-3 Vote Safely campaign.

Voters are encouraged to use voting methods that minimize direct contact with other people and reduce crowd size at polling stations.

Anyone who is not feeling well is encouraged to vote curbside or at the courthouse.

Voters who will be absent from the county on election day are encouraged to request an absentee ballot by calling the clerk’s office at 660-744-6214

Voters planning to vote in person on election day are encouraged to arrive at off-peak times.

Voters are encouraged to view the sample ballots in the newspaper or online at www.acmoelections.org to reduce time in the polls on election day.

Inside the five Atchison County polling locations, voters can expect it to look a little different. “We will have sneeze guards up on the tables and some stickers on the floor to encourage voters to stand six feet apart. Masks will be available for judges who want to wear them. The masks are recommended but not required statewide,” Taylor said. “This will be a trial run to prepare for August and November,” Secretary Ashcroft said.

ELECTION DAY

Aside from poll workers and poll watchers, if any, only the voters may enter the polling place on election day. Family members, friends, or others will not be permitted to enter unless they are assisting a voter in reading or marking the ballot.

Any voter exhibiting signs or symptoms of illness will be asked to leave the polling place immediately. Any such voter will be given the opportunity to vote while remaining in his or her vehicle

One additional poll worker will be added at the three larger polling locations and will serve as the greeter. This person’s responsibilities will include monitoring the number of voters inside the polling location and distance between them, cleaning the doorknobs regularly, and ensuring that there are not more than 10 people inside the polling location at one time. Sanitizer will be provided for each voter to use as entering and leaving the polling location

During a typical election, poll workers review each voter’s voter identification document. For this election, voters will show the ID to the poll worker through the protective barrier. IDs and other verification documents will not be passed between voters and poll workers.

Each voter will be handed a disinfected clean pen at the verification station to sign the poll book and will be instructed to take the same pen to the ballot station to vote their ballot and then place the pen in a marked container for disinfection. Each pen will be disinfected before being sent back to the verification station.

One 6’ table per voter will be provided to mark the ballot. An 8’ table will have two voting dividers 6’ apart. Each table and ballot marking pen will be disinfected after each voter. Make sure the table is dry before the next voter so the ballot does not get wet.

No food will be permitted on the floor in the polling place on election day. Poll workers will have a designated space within the building for breaks.

The following are the strategies and action steps to be employed at the polling place on election day to attempt to mitigate the spread of COVID-19:

Physical Distancing

• Everyone will be kept 6’ apart at all times

• Only 10 voters will be allowed inside the polling place at one time. Additional voters may wait outside the building, in their vehicles, or do curb side voting.

• Tape will be used to mark six foot increments on the floor throughout the polling place as needed.

• Voting booths will be spaced at least six feet apart.

• Poll workers will maintain a six-foot separation.

Increased Hygiene

• All poll workers should wash hands thoroughly with soap and water throughout the day

• Individual bottles of hand sanitizer will be given to each poll worker, which they are encouraged to use throughout the day.

• Poll workers will be encouraged to wipe down workspace several times throughout the day.

• Poll workers should not share pens with other poll workers or with voters.

• “I Voted Stickers” will not be handed out.

Reduction of

Shared Workspaces

During a typical election, poll workers are encouraged to rotate jobs (computers, ballot table, etc.). During this election, however, poll workers will be encouraged to remain at one workspace and complete the same job throughout the day.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

• Poll workers should use gloves (provided) for opening and closing tasks such as removing the ballots from the ballot box.

• Masks will be provided to poll workers. The wearing of masks will be with the intention to provide a layer of protection to the poll workers. These are not intended to allow a worker who may be feeling ill to still work. If a poll worker is ill or exhibiting symptoms of illness, he or she may not work on election day.

• Acrylic panels will be placed between poll workers and voters.

Sanitization of Materials

• Sanitizing wipes will be available and will be regularly used by the poll workers to sanitize voting booths/tables, the Express Vote Machine (if used by a voter), and door handles and other frequently touched surfaces, tables and other hard surfaces.