No Face Masks Required Amid Record-Setting Voting In WilCo

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, TX — Amid record-breaking voting levels in Williamson County, elections officials continue urging residents to cast their ballots during the early voting period.

County officials recently outlined key points related to voting in the county during a conference call with reporters. Given the intense interest in this year's election — what with a consequential presidential bid pitting Joe Biden against incumbent Donald Trump — voters should expect lone lines, the elections administrator said. Also: Voters don't have to wear protective face coverings, even amid a pandemic of respiratory illness and although poll workers are required to don masks.

"While we encourage people to wear masks, they are not required by law," Elections Administrator Christoper J. Davis said. "We hope all voters do [wear masks] as they consider their health and that of others, but there is not going to be a requirement for voters to wear a mask at these polling places." Davis noted the typical worker at a voting site is 65 years or older — "one of the more susceptible populations in the pandemic," he noted.

There is ample scientific evidence showing the wearing of masks as the most effective way to blunt the spread of respiratory illness amid pandemic. The suggestion is particularly applicable in close quarters given the airborne transmission of respiratory droplets potentially spreading the virus.

Turnout was brisk in the first week of early voting that began Tuesday, Oct. 13. On the first day alone, nearly 23,000 Williamson County voters descended to the polls, according to county election data. All told, 33,412 people already had cast ballots by the first day — an 8.97 percent turnout, according to the data — that included 22,707 voting in person with the remainder voting by mail and provisional ballots. The county has 376,931 registered voters, elections officials said.

The busiest voting location during the first week of early voting was the Williamson County Jester Annex in Round Rock, Davis said. The site saw 1,766 voters voting in person on the first day of early voting alone, he said. By Friday evening, the data show, 22.7 percent of registered voters already had voted. Those totals grew exponentially by evening, with 85,829 votes cast by 5:30 p.m.

Those availing themselves of the early voting period have multiple polling sites to choose from. The dates and times for all locations through Oct. 30 are from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. (except Sundays), and Sunday, Oct. 25 from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. The main location is in Georgetown, Texas, at the Williamson County Georgetown Annex, 100 Wilco Way, HR108, 78626.

Other branch locations are:

• Austin: Anderson Mill Limited District, 11500 El Salido Parkway, 78750.
• Austin: RE Hartfield Performing Arts Center, 5800 McNeil Drive, 78729.
• Austin: Spicewood Springs Library, 8637 Spicewood Springs Road, 78759.
• Cedar Park: Cedar Park Public Library, 550 Discovery Boulevard, 78613.
• Cedar Park: Cedar Park Randalls, 1400 Cypress Creek Road, 78613.
• Georgetown: The Worship Place Church, 811 Sun City Boulevard, 78633.
• Georgetown: Georgetown ISD Technology Building, 603 Lakeway Drive, 78628.
• Georgetown: Georgetown Randalls, 5721 Williams Drive, 78633.
• Georgetown: Parks & Recreation Administration Building, 1101 North College Street, 78626.
• Hutto: Wilco Hutto Annex, 321 Ed Schmidt Boulevard, Suite 100, 78634.
• Jarrell: Jarrell ISD Administration, 108 East Avenue F, 76537.
• Leander: Pat Bryson Municipal Hall, 201 N Brushy Street, 78641.
• Liberty Hill: Liberty Hill Municipal Court, 2801 RR 1869, 78642.
• Round Rock: Baca Senior Center, 301 W Bagdad Street, Building 2, 78664.
• Round Rock: Round Rock Randalls, 2051 Gattis School Road, 78664.
• Round Rock: Brushy Creek Community Center, 16318 Great Oaks Drive, 78681.
• Round Rock: Williamson County Jester Annex, 1801 E Old Settlers Boulevard, 78664.
• Taylor: Taylor City Hall, 400 Porter Street, 76574

*Subject to change

"This election is probably going to be the largest one we've seen in Williamson County," Davis said, referencing the 27,000 requests for mail-in ballots received by his office — twice the number from 2018. "We're seeing a lot of new folks applying for voter by mail."

By Election Day, Davis added, the county will have 57 voting centers available throughout the county. Those choosing to vote on Nov. 3 should click here to find their polling site.

Some enjoy the cacophony and hustle-and-bustle pace of Election Day, but Davis would prefer more residents to vote during the early voting to mitigate the possibility of long lines on Nov. 3: "We want to increase the ratio of early voting," he said. "We're still going to see long lines because it's a presidential election."

Another reason elections officials are encouraging early voting is that straight-ticket voting is not longer allowed, which means voters will have to check off their pick in each race — a process that will take considerably more time. Before, voters had the option of pulling the lever for all candidates within a party, but the controlling Republican Party successfully sought to have the practice banned this year.

Davis touted action by members of the Williamson County Commissioners Court in upping the pay for poll workers now facing record-shattering activity by $3 per hour. The county typically pays $10 dollars per hour for clerk and $15 for judges, he noted.

The county typically mans each voting site with 10 people, with so-called megacenters requiring at least 15, Davis noted. Given high voting levels, staffing may increase to 20 per site with an overall total of 600 workers — "...but may exceed that," Davis said.

Those wondering if they're registered to vote should visit www.wilco.org/voterinfo. A sample ballot can be downloaded at www.wilco.org/departments/elections. The ballot can be taken into the voter booth as an aid, but cell phones are prohibited.