Page 173 - Conducting Elections during COVID-19

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People wait in line to vote in the presidential primary election at the
Supervisor of Elections office on Tuesday, March 17, in Delray Beach, Florida.

• Polling locations – routine cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces and
electronics equipments associated with voting.
• Sanitization for the poll workers, the general public and vulnerable populations.
• Early voting hours in many areas were extended; the Chicago Board of Elections extended
hours for the Friday, Saturday and Sunday before Tuesday’s election.
• In Chicago, 168 of 2,069 polling places were moved from senior living facilities, and voters
were urged to continually check the city’s Board of Elections website to locate their polling
place.
• In response to many poll workers and election judges canceling their shifts, the Cook
County Clerk’s Office posted that it was “waving all training requirements” for applicants
who wanted to serve as election judges.
• Maryland: A special by-election in one Maryland congressional district was held on April 28
entirely by mail vote.
• New Hampshire: The primary election was held on April 9. The state allowed voters to cast mail-
in ballots in the November general election if the COVID-19 does not subside. The state is also
considering other voting alternatives such as “drive-up voting.”
• New York: The state shifted the elections from April 28 to June 23. On April 8 an executive order
was issued to allow all New Yorkers to vote from home.
• Ohio: The state moved its presidential primary election from March 17 to April 28 and conducted
the election almost entirely by mail. All registered voters received postcards with ballot
application instructions. PwD voters or who did not have
a permanent address were allowed to vote in person at
their local elections board.
• Pennsylvania: The state recently enacted amendments
to the Pennsylvania Election Code. All legal voters can
now vote by mail, and the county boards of election may
consolidate polling places “so long as the reduction
does not result in more than a 60% reduction of polling
places in the county.”

• Rhode Island: The election was postponed from April 28
to June 2 to be conducted by mail ballot. All registered
voters were sent a mail ballot application with a postage-
paid return envelope.
• West Virginia: The state postponed its election from
May 12 to June 9 and extended the deadline to obtain
an absentee ballot.

• Wyoming: The Democratic Party suspended its in-
person presidential primary caucuses. Ballots were
mailed to all registered Democratic voters. Social Distancing Sign at polls