Poll workers dropping out due to coronavirus fears

The Kansas City, Missouri, Election Board lost 10 percent of its poll workers in the past two days.

IN JUST A FEW HOURS,MISSOURI VOTERS WILLHEAD TO THE POLLS FORTHE PRESIDENTIALPRIMARY.BUT NEWS OF THECORONAVIRUS HAS SOMEELECTION WORKERSBACKING OUT.41 ACTION NEWSREPORTER ARIELROTHFIELD EXPLAINS.INSIDE UNION STATION,DELMIRA QUARLES ISMAKING HER VOICE HEARDDelmira Quarles/ Poll JudgeIt's my duty to vote.

I believein voting and the selection isvery importantTHE KANSAS CITYRESIDENT-- VOTEDABSENTEEBECAUSE ON ELECTIONDAY SHE'LL BE WORKINGAT THE POLLS...WHILE OTHERS BACKOUT... FEARFUL OF THECORONAVIRUSCindy Huston/ Kansas voter andpollworkerI had read some things thatthe poll workers are reallyworking to keep everythingclean and have lots ofsanitation so people don'tworry about that at this pointanywayTHE VIRUS ALREADYAFFECTING MISSOURI'SPRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY--IN THE LAST TWO DAYS,EIGHT PERCENT OF POLLWORKERS FOR THEKANSAS CITY ELECTIONBOARD HAVE PULLED OUTLauri Ealom/ Kansas City BoardofElection Commisioners DirectorThey're fearful because thaverage age of our poll workeris at least 75 years old.LIKE MANY PLACES,KANSAS CITY ALREADYFACES A SHORTAGE OFWILLING POLL WORKERSLauri Ealom/ Kansas City BoardElection Commisioners DirectorI think not only will we losepollworkers but we are going tolose polling places, becausethat is a challenge to getpolling places anyways.SO THEY ARE TAKINGEXTRA MEASURESPROVIDING PURELL ANDLYSOL TO WIPE DOWNTABLESWHILE USING SPECIFICALCOHOL WIPES ANDCLEANING KITS TO CLEANTHE MACHINESTHROUGHOUT THE DAYAND WHEN REQUESTEDLauri Ealom/ Kansas City BoardofElection Commisioners DirectWe cannot clean theequipment after every singlevoter.

We don't have thecapacity to do so but we arepreparedDELMIRA QUARLES SAYSSHE'S PREPARED TOOYOU CAN COUNT ON HERTO BE WORKING AT THEPOLLSDelmira Quarles/ Poll JudgeWe have to be out, we haveto continue our life.

We can'tjust stay at home and lock thedoor.

That's what I'm doing,every sanitary thing I canARIEL ROTHFIELD 41ACTION NEWS,IF YOU WANT TO SANITIZEYOUR HANDS BEFORE ANDAFTER CASTING YOURBALLOT OR CLEANSURFACES THROUGHOUTTHE DAY... THERE ARESEVERAL THINGS TKNOW.FOR HAND SANITIZER TOBE EFFECTIVE, IT MUSTCONTAIN AT LEAST 60PERCENT ALCOHOL.AND YOU HAVE TO LET ITDRY -- IT WILL NOT BE ASEFFECTIVE IF YOU WIPE ITAWAYAS FOR COUNTERS-- THEC-D-C SAYS CLOROXWIPES LIKE THESE AREGREAT AT KILLING THECORONAVIRUSSURFACES.BUT AGAIN YOU HAVE TOWAIT...FOR THESE WIPES TO BEEFFECTIVE, THE SURFACEYOU USE THEM ON -- HASTO REMAIN WET FORFOUR MINUTWE ARE LINKING TO A LISTOF E-P-A APPROVEDDISINFECTANT