BOSTON (WHDH) - With hundreds of thousands of Massachusetts residents expected to vote during Super Tuesday, Secretary of State William F. Galvin is urging officials and voters to take precautions amid coronavirus fears.
Galvin says he sent out an advisory bulletin to town clerks and local election officials on Monday morning, telling them to take extra safety precautions to guard voters and poll workers.
The recommendations included keeping polling places disinfected and inviting voters to bring their own pens to mark down their ballots.
“We’ve suggested to them that there be a regular routine of cleaning the compartment and we’re certainly supportive of that in any financial way we may need to be,” Galvin said. “We also have recognized that the one common piece of equipment that might be used is the pen, so we’re suggesting that local election officials have extra pens, replace the pens but also allow and encourage voters who might be concerned to bring their own pen. The only caveat on that is please do not bring a red pen because the machines will not be read, they would have to be hand-read.”
Officials are also encouraged to have extra personnel available because some may choose not to attend the primary.
Anyone who is self-quarantined at home will be able to vote by having a friend or relative pick up a ballot for them to fill out, Galvin said, adding that he does not expect many ballots this way.
Galvin expects voter turnout to be high but not record-setting.
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