Madison Clerk’s Update on safe voting on Tuesday (Updated)

This is what the clerk’s office sent out for those who will be voting in person on Tuesday. Looks like it was sent to poll workers. (Updated with updates for Chief Inspectors)

This was sent to my neighborhood liserve, it looks like good information so you know what to expect if you plan to vote in person on Tuesday.

CITY UPDATES

UPDATES TO CHIEF INSPECTORS

Here’s the message to Chief Inspectors!

• The Chief Inspector will run through the poll worker COVID-19 screening tool  (list of questions) with each poll worker at the beginning of their shift. You received those questions in a separate e-mail message on Friday.
• There will be two poll workers at the poll book table. They will sit six feet apart from each other, behind a Plexiglas shield that is already installed at your polling location. These shields were designed and constructed by City Engineers. They are not to be altered. There is space underneath the shield to slide the poll book forward for the voter’s signature.
• The poll worker who is handing out ballots will also sit behind a Plexiglas shield that is already installed at your polling location. This shield was also designed and constructed by City Engineers, and is not to be altered.  There is space underneath the shield to slide the ballot to the voter.
• Poll workers who are working in close proximity to others (e.g., curbside teams) should wear the plastic face shields that you will find in the supply tote. Do not stick your head in a voter’s vehicle. Respect social distancing.
• Poll workers who are processing absentees need to stay six feet away from each other. We still want to keep an eye on each other for accountability purposes, but from a distance of six feet.
• A bottle of hand sanitizer should be placed on the poll book table. Voters should be encourage to use hand sanitizer when they step up to the poll book table. This will allow time for their hands to dry before they touch their ballot.
• A bottle of hand sanitizer should be placed near the polling place exit for voters to use as they exit the polling place.
• Voting booths should be sprayed with disinfectant after each use. (This is an update from what we discussed in training.) Poll workers with fragrance sensitivities might need to avoid this task.
• Never use sanitizer or disinfectant spray on the tabulator or ExpressVote touch screen! You have screen cleaning wipes specifically for the touch screens (found in the ballot box).
• Spray ballot marking pens with disinfectant spray after each use.
• Voters may use their own pens, as long as they are ballpoint pens with blue or black ink. No sharpies because they can bleed through the ballot. No gel pens (pens that write really smoothly) because the ink does not dry fast enough, gums up in the tabulator, and causes ballot jams. No green or red ink because the tabulator may not see it.
• Poll workers should not share the pen they are using with others, unless they first spray the pen with disinfectant.
• Poll workers are encouraged to frequently wash their hands with soap and water, or frequently use hand sanitizer.
• There are 50 pair of gloves in your supply tote. If you choose to wear gloves, remember that the CDC warns they may provide a false sense of security. Just because you are wearing gloves does not mean it’s okay to touch your face. The Wisconsin Elections Commission has provided guidance on how to remove gloves here .
• If you choose to bring a paper-based or form-fitting mask from home, you will be required to sign a green “voluntary use waiver” form. Cloth masks or other cloth over the face does not require the form. Based on CDC guidance, the City of Madison neither encourages nor discourages the use of cloth masks.
• Avoid touching your face.
• Sorry, no potlucks for this election.
• Each polling location should designate one poll worker to keep reminding everyone in the polling place to follow these safety procedures, and to practice social distancing.