What health precautions should I take to vote in person?A:WITH SO MUCH ATTEN-
tion on voting by mail this
year, you might be wonder-
ing whether it’s even safe
to vote in person. Medi-
cal experts say the level of
risk depends on your per-
sonal health, the amount of
COVID-19 transmission in
your community, and your
ability—and willingness—to
follow safety precautions at
the polls.
If you’re in a group that’s
at high risk for severe illness
from COVID-19, think about
alternative options like vot-
ing by mail or curbside vot-
ing. But for low-risk people
who want to vote in person,
experts say it can be done
safely. (Even Dr. Anthony
Fauci said he plans to go in
person to the polls, provided
his busy schedule allows.)
If you too want to vote
in person, start taking
precautions now. “We should
really focus on trying to
drive down transmission in
our communities ahead of
time so that people can vote
safely,” says Dr. Sexton of
Emory. That means that in
the days before you plan to
cast a vote, you should be
extra vigilant in practicing
good hand hygiene, wearing
a mask that covers your
mouth and nose when you’re
in public, staying 6 ft. away
from people not in your
household and refraining
from attending large social
gatherings. You should also
consider getting a fl u shot
before you vote, Sexton says.
You’ll also probably
want to make a voting plan.
Try to go at off -peak times
or during the early-voting
period if your state has one.
Check out the precautionsyour polling station has
added so you know what
to expect. Complete any
registration forms ahead of
time and bring all necessary
documents to avoid delays.
You can also practice fi lling
out a sample ballot to
shorten the time you spend
inside.
When it’s time to vote,
choose a mask that has
multiple layers and fi ts
comfortably over your nose
and mouth so that you’re
not tempted to touch your
face to adjust it. The mask
should stay on while you’re
waiting to vote and theentire time you’re inside
your polling place. Bring
your own pen, tissues
and hand sanitizer with
at least 60% alcohol—and
douse your hands before
and after touching any
voting equipment or shared
surfaces, like clipboards or
doorknobs. (Just don’t use
sanitizer directly on a voting
machine, as some electronic
equipment can be damaged
by disinfectants.)
The CDC also
recommends not bringing
children or other non voters,
although it can be tricky
to fi nd babysitters or other
caretakers, so plan ahead.
And of course, the golden
rule of COVID-19: try to
maintain 6 ft. of distance
from other people at all
times. “If you did all of those
things, and you successfully
distanced and everybody
in the polling place was
masked, you should not have
had an exposure to COVID,”
says Sexton. Still, if you start
feeling symptoms afterward,
isolate and get tested.
—A. ABRAMSState deadlines and rules at a glance
Elections are run by state and local offi cials, so rules governing how voters access mail ballots and how
ballots are counted often vary widely. If you have specifi c questions, call or visit your local elections offi ceAL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI
If returned by mail,
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Signatures on mailed ballots
must match one on fileMail-ballot drop boxes
available statewideStandard requests to vote by
mail must be received byOCT.
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Can register to vote
on Election Day PRES ONLY