Voting in the United States of America is a civic duty as well as a right. It is a duty in that all citizens should vote, have the right to vote, and vote to better our nation. However, during a pandemic voting will be much more difficult due to constraints imposed by the pandemic, fear of capturing the disease, fear of being around people in general, or thinking your vote does not count (it does!) It is still our civic duty to vote; here are some tips to help your voting efforts while staying safe!
Tips on Voting during a pandemic
- Register to Vote. Credit Karma and other national, state, and local websites, as well as many social media platforms, will help you register to vote.
- Check your registration to vote. The aforementioned websites may have ways to check your registration.
- If you can Vote by Mail and feel comfortable about voting by mail, you should. Not everyone is allowed to take advantage of Vote by Mail, but it is the safest approach to voting.
- Verify your polling station.
- If you can Vote Early, you should. Usually early voting has shorter lines, and therefore there are fewer people around. Check with your polling station for best times to vote early; the best times will be those with the fewest people! If there is an app for this, you may wish to use it. So far I have not seen such an app, but each municipality may have its own.
- Do not rush your voting experience; stay calm. Some companies are increasing time off for voting, which helps. Take the necessary time to vote. The lines could be longer than expected.
- Check with your polling station, as well as state, city, and town requirements, for any imposed constraints such as social distancing, masking, or any other rules that they may have, before you go to vote.
- Boost your immune system starting a good week before and a week after you vote. This may mean increasing immune-boosting supplements, getting enough sleep, spending time outside in natural sun light, exercising, etc.
- Wear an N95 or any other allowed mask.
- Wear nitrile or some other form of properly fitted gloves. You may wish to bring more than one pair—one for use while handling things while you vote and other pairs in case you must use a public bathroom. Do not touch anything in a public bathroom. If you must sit down, practice skiing before you get there so your bottom touches nothing. This is the restroom of last resort.
- If you do not have properly fitted gloves, bring hand sanitizer and use it after you touch anything in the polling place.
- Optionally wear a faceshield.
- Bring only what you need to have with you to vote:
- Your approved voting ID
- Your Medical Insurance Card (in case of any issues during polling)
- A number 2 pencil with an eraser—you will not want to touch anything in the voting booth. If electronic voting, the eraser acts as a stylus. If paper voting, the #2 pencil is often the recommended pencil to use.
- DO NOT bring your children. Find someone to watch them for you if at all possible!
- If you have to wait in line:
- Wear your mask. If you have longer wait times, bring multiple masks and change them every few hours or so. A wet mask is not very effective.
- Bring an umbrella. Rain can be uncomfortable but also refreshing.
- Socially distance yourself (minimally 6′) from others (you may, of course, stay close to those within your own household.)
- Be polite. This is not the time to argue with anyone, as this will be a stressful situation. This is the time to keep to yourself or politely chat ‘about anything other than politics’ (such as children, the weather, pets, your favorite chocolate, the tree you like to sit under) with others around you.
- Keep any conversation lighthearted and calm. Reduce your own stress.
- Bring water to drink (in some cases, bring enough water for a 2-4 hour hike). With the weather the way it has been, it could be quite warm around voting time in some states.
- Wear comfortable footwear that covers your toes (it is also recommended to wear socks). The added cushioning will help your feet as you wait in line. This would be a bad time to attempt to break in new footwear.
- Put on your gloves BEFORE you enter the polling place. You do not need to wear them in line. Once you have your gloves on, use them only to touch the door, forms, and anything else in the polling place. During this time, I would not drink any water, so take a swig before entering the polling place and putting on your gloves.
- Keep your hands away from your face. This is VERY important when wearing your gloves. It is also important when NOT wearing your gloves.
- You may be required to lower your mask as they look at your approved ID. This is where the faceshield comes into play as another layer of protection. If you do have to do this, keep your distance.
- If directed to a voting booth, remember to socially distance as they guide you (if there is such a guide).
- Vote using the #2 pencil YOU brought. Do not chew on your pencil or any other pencil. Of course, to chew on your pencil would require that you not have on your mask; keep the mask on once in the polling place.
- After you leave the polling place, remove your gloves and dispose of them. Remove them properly by peeling them off from the wrist without touching the fingers or palms. If you do not have gloves, use hand sanitizer after voting.
- Do not loiter after voting; head home.
- Once at home do the following:
- Take off your mask
- Remove and wash your clothing immediately
- Take a shower/bath to remove any lingering droplets
Conclusion
To be safe while voting you must assume that not everyone will take the same precautions. Exposure will happen. Therefore, it is your responsibility to protect yourself and your family.
Please note that these are the tips I will be following to vote. A little planning will go quite a long way. I am not nor have I ever been a healthcare professional. You own the responsibility for your and your family’s health; no one else has that responsibility.
Please note that I use Credit Karma’s free service. I am not affiliated with them except as a satisfied customer.
