Coronavirus kits rolled out to Sacramento County voting centers

Voting centers in Sacramento County rolled out coronavirus kits ahead of Super Tuesday.

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Each of the 84 centers across the county is equipped with a kit that consists of hand sanitizer, gloves, Clorox wipes and tissue boxes for voters and election staffers, according to the county's voter registration and elections spokesperson Janna Haynes.

According to Haynes, up to 15 of the 650 election staffers in the county have decided not to work on Super Tuesday because they are worried about the coronavirus.

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“We have lost a few people that were hired to be election clerks at our vote centers that were just a little bit nervous about being around the public, which is their right," Haynes said. "It’s unfortunate that we lost them."

Haynes estimates about 10,000 people will vote in person in the county. The large crowds are a concern for voters like Rita Torres. She opted to use a dropbox for her ballot instead.

“You have to stay away from the public. And really, like they say, wash your hands,” she said.

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Torres is 81, part of a demographic that doctors say is particularly vulnerable when it comes to the coronavirus. She just recovered from a respiratory virus over the holidays.

“I ended up in intensive care, and I have pneumonia too, with it. To deal with that is no joke,” Torres said.

However, other voters said they are not concerned about the coronavirus.

“Voting is super, super important,” said Isaac Bates-Vinueza as he voted in person on Monday afternoon. “I think it’s so important to exercise our civic duty and to get out, especially in this election year, to show support for the Democratic candidates, or just get out there, especially young people. I think it’s really important for everyone to vote no matter the circumstance.”

UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento County is treating potentially the first person to get the coronavirus in the community, meaning she did not interact with anyone who recently traveled. Election volunteers like Darshana Amin said her civic duty trumps coronavirus concerns.

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“I’m not concerned at all because all the vote centers, they use the Clorox wipes and everything is wiped and clean and they continuously do it,” Amin said. “It's important because I’m helping the country, my state, my county.”

For people who are concerned about voting in person on Tuesday, Haynes said other options include dropping your ballot off at a drop box or mailing in your ballot. If you mail in your ballot, it must be postmarked on or before March 3.

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