The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report calling for stronger coronavirus mitigation strategies to be implemented at polling places on Nov. 3.
The findings, released on Friday, come from a survey of poll workers from Delaware who manned polling places for the state’s September primary.
Although the agency already released interim guidance for poll safety measures, the CDC said in its new report that “enhanced attention to reducing congregation in polling locations, correct mask use, and enabling safe voting options for ill voters are critical considerations for elections to minimize risk for voters and poll workers.”
Workers from at least 99 stations, making a total of 522 respondents, participated in a survey shortly after the election.
Forty-two percent of those workers were 65 years of age or older, and nearly 60% reported having at least one underlying medical condition associated with increased COVID-19 severity. The CDC said recruiting younger poll workers may be a good strategy to decrease risk for vulnerable populations.
Ninety-eight percent of respondents said they saw most voters wearing masks, but only 54% said they rarely or never saw voters wearing them incorrectly. The CDC believes there is room for improvement on that front.
The survey indicated that polling locations were making a sincere effort to utilize hand sanitizer and cleaning supplies, but 14% of the workers said those resources ran out at some point on the day of the primary.
The CDC additionally pointed out that it will be important to ensure that infected individuals can still exercise their rights without putting others at risk. The agency reported that only 30% of poll workers were trained on how to assist those who were infected, and of the 19 respondents who said they came in contact with an infected voter, none of them wore each piece of recommended protective equipment, including “respiratory protection, face shields, gowns, and gloves.”
“Adherence to mitigation measures is important not only to protect voters but also to protect poll workers, many of whom are older adults,” the CDC wrote. “Evidence from the Delaware election supports the feasibility and acceptability of implementing current CDC guidance for election officials, poll workers, and voters for mitigating COVID-19 transmission at polling locations.”
