Broward County officials have addressed concerns surrounding whether or not residents have to wear a mask at a voting location in the county.
Broward Mayor Dale Holness and County Administrator Bertha Henry both have said that with this being an unprecedented election year, the county will do what it can to enforce the order requiring masks.
In a statement, Henry said that Broward’s facial covering order is still in effect, and election day is not an exception.
“Broward County’s Emergency Orders require residents to wear a facial covering when in public. There is no exemption in the Emergency Order for Election Day. Therefore, residents are reminded that they need to wear a mask at the polling locations, or vote by mail, which does not require a mask, unless the voter is dropping off their ballot in person at a post office or early voting location,” the statement read.
All 22 early voting locations have official ballot drop boxes that residents are able to use for their vote-by-mail ballots, without personal contact, and without having to stand in lines of people waiting to vote in person.
“In times of public health crisis,” said Henry, “people depend on each other to do the right thing, to help protect and preserve the health of us all, including vulnerable voters and poll workers, who are there to help ensure you have a fair and safe election. Many of them are elderly.”
While the wearing of masks if being stressed by officials, no voter will be turned away from the voting sites if they refuse to wear a mask.
“At the end of the day like most of the supervisor of elections throughout the state, we’re not going to turn away anybody from voting, but we’re going to try and push and prod to make sure that they put a mask on to ensure that everybody who is there is comfortable voting in the precinct where they’re voting at,” said Broward Commissioner Michael Udine, from District 3.
Broward began sending out vote-by-mail ballots to county voters today.
