SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The Illinois Public Health Department has provided guidelines to election officials throughout the state on how to make polling places as COVID-safe as possible for early voting and on Election Day itself.
Early voting starts later this month and runs until the day before Election Day. When it starts, health officials have recommended election workers come up with a disinfection procedure, space voting booths safe distances from each other, spread out voters in waiting lines, and if need be, keep people in their cars until it’s almost time for them to vote. The Illinois Public Health Department also said polling places should not be in senior living facilities.
One of the suggestions made to election officials is that they not hand out “I voted” stickers to voters to avoid as much hand-to-hand contact as possible.
While masks will be provided at locations statewide, "election authorities are prohibited from preventing a noncompliant voter from casting a ballot for refusal to wear a face covering outside or inside a polling place," the health department's guidance specifies; however, workers at polling places are encouraged to separate those voters from those who are wearing face-coverings.
Poll workers are also barred from screening voters for COVID-19.
Election officials said that, so far, more than a million Illinois voters have requested mail-in ballots. More requests are expected.
State Public Health Director Ngozi Ezike said the safest way to vote is by mail, but that officials can take steps to ensure people who want to vote in-person have the safest environment possible.