An Ohio official announced Wednesday that voters will not be rejected by polling stations if they refuse to wear a mask, even with the state’s mask mandate amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Secretary of State Frank LaRose of Ohio said in a press release that the state will encourage people but not require them to wear face masks to vote in person.
“If a voter chooses not to wear a mask, we will offer them an alternative to voting outside – curbside, which has been a part of Ohio’s voting process for a long time,” LaRose said. “If they choose not to do so, of course no one will be rejected. Everyone will have access to the polling stations, but of course all voters must also wear a mask.”
All employees of the interview will be instructed to wear face masks while working at polling stations, he said.
The Ohio official compared wearing a mask to avoiding a nosebleed, as part of good manners.
“We do not have a police officer who tells people not to pick their noses. It’s just rude. It’s rude. It’s bad manners. We do not know how to do it. Walking to a polling station without wearing a mask is rude. “It’s bad manners. You should not do it, but if you choose – we will leave your vote and send you on your way,” said LaRose.
LaRose assured voters that the election will take place on November 3, even as the pandemic worsens in the state, and said officials could not change the date of the general election as they could with the primary election.
He also said that all registered voters would receive an application to get an absentee ballot in the mail and noted that the state offers 28 days for early voting.
The remarks of the Ohio election official come as states across the country weigh in on public safety in their plans for the November general election. At least 76 percent of voters will be able to vote by mail without apology, more than in previous elections, a New York Times analysis found.
Several states used mail-in voting during the primary election. Lawmakers have predicted potential obstacles to the general election amid the coronavirus pandemic, including long lines and delays in results, as several polling volunteers will refrain from worrying about COVID-19.
Ohio was one of the states that postponed its election in the midst of the public health crisis in the spring.
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