Curbside Voting Expanded For June 2 Election
May 13, 2020
Stone County Clerk Cindy Elmore has announced health safety processes for the upcoming June 2 municipal election. Included in these procedures is allowing for voting from the citizen’s vehicle rather than going inside. “We are doing everything we can to make the election safe and easy for our voters,” said Elmore.
According to a press release from the clerk’s office, “The General Municipal Election that will take place on Tuesday, June 2, 2020, will proceed as any other election except for the fact of additional safety precautions.”
Among those precautions is expanding the availability of voting from the car. “We’ve always had curbside voting for handicapped people, but now we are opening that up to people who might be hesitant to come into the polling station,” said Jeri Row, Elections Clerk.
To vote from your vehicle, Row says there is no need to call ahead, although voters may call the clerk’s office if they have questions. “At all of our polling locations, we will have one person on sanitation, cleaning voting stations between voters and opening doors for voters. If voters just want to wave them over, they can do that and our team will go out to assist,” Row said.
Additionally, most of the polling locations in Stone County have clear, glass doors, allowing poll workers inside to notice if someone in the parking lot needs their attention.
When a voter requests curbside voting, Row says a bipartisan voting team will go out to the voter’s car to allow them to vote securely there.
Additional Safety Measures
The Secretary of State’s office has assisted counties with cleaning products and other safety supplies for polling stations. “The Secretary of State’s office supplied us with social distancing posters and markers for the floors, and we will have hand sanitizer available,” Elmore said. Additionally, election judges and poll workers will be protected by a plexiglass shield between them and the voter. Workers will also be wearing masks and gloves.
When signing in, voters will be able sign electronically with a stylus that will be cleaned between each use.
Ballot pens will also be collected and cleaned after each use.
Absentee voting continues by mail and at the courthouse until June 1. The last day to mail out an absentee ballot is Wednesday, May 20. Applications to vote absentee must be received prior to that date. Those voters needing to cast ballots absentee are able to fill out an application at the Stone County Clerk’s website, www.stonecountclerk.com.
Voters can still vote absentee at the courthouse Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Extended hours for absentee voting will be available Saturday, May 30, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. On Monday, June 1, the courthouse will be open extended hours, until 5 p.m., to vote absentee.
According to a press release from the clerk’s office, “The General Municipal Election that will take place on Tuesday, June 2, 2020, will proceed as any other election except for the fact of additional safety precautions.”
Among those precautions is expanding the availability of voting from the car. “We’ve always had curbside voting for handicapped people, but now we are opening that up to people who might be hesitant to come into the polling station,” said Jeri Row, Elections Clerk.
To vote from your vehicle, Row says there is no need to call ahead, although voters may call the clerk’s office if they have questions. “At all of our polling locations, we will have one person on sanitation, cleaning voting stations between voters and opening doors for voters. If voters just want to wave them over, they can do that and our team will go out to assist,” Row said.
Additionally, most of the polling locations in Stone County have clear, glass doors, allowing poll workers inside to notice if someone in the parking lot needs their attention.
When a voter requests curbside voting, Row says a bipartisan voting team will go out to the voter’s car to allow them to vote securely there.
Additional Safety Measures
The Secretary of State’s office has assisted counties with cleaning products and other safety supplies for polling stations. “The Secretary of State’s office supplied us with social distancing posters and markers for the floors, and we will have hand sanitizer available,” Elmore said. Additionally, election judges and poll workers will be protected by a plexiglass shield between them and the voter. Workers will also be wearing masks and gloves.
When signing in, voters will be able sign electronically with a stylus that will be cleaned between each use.
Ballot pens will also be collected and cleaned after each use.
Absentee voting continues by mail and at the courthouse until June 1. The last day to mail out an absentee ballot is Wednesday, May 20. Applications to vote absentee must be received prior to that date. Those voters needing to cast ballots absentee are able to fill out an application at the Stone County Clerk’s website, www.stonecountclerk.com.
Voters can still vote absentee at the courthouse Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Extended hours for absentee voting will be available Saturday, May 30, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. On Monday, June 1, the courthouse will be open extended hours, until 5 p.m., to vote absentee.