NC Voters Urged To Wear A Mask, Wash Hands Before, After Voting

NORTH CAROLINA — As in-person early voting kicked off throughout North Carolina Thursday, state public health officials reminded voters that they're expected to wear a mask and stay socially distanced from others the entire time they're at the polls.

Voters are also urged to wash their hands with soap and water for 20 seconds before and after casting their vote, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services said.

Voter turnout is expected to be high this year in North Carolina. As of midday Thursday — 19 days before the Nov. 3 General Election — nearly 10 percent of all registered voters had already cast a ballot through either absentee or one-stop early voting, according to the North Carolina State Board of Elections.

Last week, DHHS released guidelines for polling locations aimed at protecting election volunteers and workers. The state is providing personal protective equipment for voting sites, such as gloves, disposable masks and face shield for workers, as well as hand sanitizer, disinfectant spray and paper towels.

"Masks are required in public and voting places must have enough masks to provide one to anyone who does not have one," DHHS said. "If a voter has an exception for wearing a mask, election workers should try to accommodate them and should not turn voters away."

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In addition to wearing masks, poll workers will also be required to routinely clean and disinfect high-touch areas, such as tables and chairs, particularly during high-traffic times. Some voting sites will also be providing voters with single-use pens to mark their ballots.

Under the DHHS guidelines, county election boards in North Carolina must:

• Post signs to remind voters and poll workers to stay at least 6 feet apart from others
• Provide physical markers that help promote social distancing, such as tape on floors
• Require election workers and observers wear a mask when social distancing is or may not be possible, unless they state an exception applies.
• Require election workers to encourage people to wear a mask while they vote or campaign and offer masks to those who are not wearing them.
• Immediately separate and send home election workers who have symptoms when they arrive at work or become sick during the day.
• Conduct daily symptom screening of workers before opening the voting place each day.
• Post signage at the main entrance asking people who have a fever and/or a cough not to enter.

During the early voting period, absentee voters may also deliver their completed mail-in ballots to an election official at early voting sites. The absentee ballots will then be securely delivered to the county board of elections.