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300 Pinellas Poll Workers Don't Show Up, But Few Election Day Issues

Few delays were reported at polling places in Pinellas County today, even after about 300 poll workers didn't show up this morning over fears about COVID-19.

At the mail ballot drop-off line at the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections office in Largo, there was a steady stream of cars. With at least one woman wearing a medical mask while dropping off her mail-in ballot.

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Poll workers have been outside collecting ballots for 10 days and they’ve had a steady amount of traffic coming through.

Dustin Chase, the spokesman for the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections, said about 300 poll workers who were scared off by the coronavirus didn't show up for work this morning.

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He said the elections office was proactive and approached the county yesterday, concerned about that possibility. The county supplied additional people who had emergency training to fill in at the polls.
 

Steve Newborn is a WUSF reporter and producer at WUSF covering environmental issues and politics in the Tampa Bay area.
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