Ashcroft to deliver PPE supplies to local election officials

Jay Ashcroft

Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft will visit local election authorities Wednesday to deliver personal protective equipment for the June 2 General Municipal Election.

Ashcroft will deliver face masks, distancing strips, sanitizer, face shields and posters to local election authorities for their polling locations. Ashcroft will deliver Scott County’s equipment in Benton at 11:05 a.m.; Mississippi County’s in Charleston at 11:40 a.m. and New Madrid County’s in New Madrid at 12:30 p.m.

On Wednesday Ashcroft will visit 11 counties and will deliver 1,537 face masks, 3,195 distancing strips, bottles of sanitizer (78 1.75 liter bottles, 12 one gallon jugs and 108 8 ounce pump bottles), 1,537 face shields and 1,278 posters. The equipment will help local counties safely conduct the June 2 election.

“Masks, shields, sanitizers, gloves and cleaning supplies will be provided for the election judges,” said Scott County Clerk Rita Milam. “Sanitizers will be provided for voters, too.”

New Madrid County Clerk Clement Cravens said election judges will utilize sneeze guards on tables among other changes.

“After each voter uses a booth we will go in and use a sanitizing wipe to wipe it down,” Cravens said. “We will have disposable pens that the voter can take with them or throw away.”

Milam said in Scott County voters will not be required to masks but if the voter wishes to, they can.

“The voters will be asked to stay six feet apart and markers will be down,” Milam said.

Cravens said he is encouraging those who vote in New Madrid County to wear a mask.

“We won’t require it but we are going to have a sign on all the polling places asking them to wear a mask,” Cravens said. “We are going to ask that they respect the election judges but we’re not going to keep them from voting if they don’t.”

Milam said those who don’t feel comfortable going to the polls can come to the clerk’s office in Benton and vote absentee.

In New Madrid County, Cravens said absentee voters need to call ahead to alert the security guard they are coming so he can escort them to the clerk’s office.

“At this stage we are just hoping everybody is patient with us because there will be a change at the polling place due to the coronavirus pandemic,” Cravens said. “But we just want to keep everyone safe.”

The election was originally scheduled for April 7 but was postponed March 18 by Gov. Mike Parson in an effort to ensure the safety of election officials and the public.

Milam said she hasn’t heard many concerns from the public about the election but they will still use caution.

“We are doing everything we can to keep the judges and voters safe,” Milam said.