Government & Politics

Election 2020

2020 is looking to be a pivotal year in politics. But this year's elections are about much more than the race for the White House. And the coronavirus pandemic is proving to be a complicating factor. WKSU, our colleagues at public radio stations across Ohio and the region and at NPR will bring you coverage of all the races from the national to the local level.

DeWine: Voters Without Masks Will Not Be Turned Away On Election Day

The Statehouse News Bureau | By Andy Chow,

Andy Chow

Published August 14, 2020 at 2:51 PM EDT

Election officials around the state are trying to recruit 35,000 poll workers for Election Day in November. Leaders are weighing-in on what conditions poll workers might face when people cast their ballots in-person, which includes if people will be required to wear masks.

County boards of elections will follow state standards for polling locations of setting voters six feet apart and cleaning surfaces.

Gov. Mike DeWine (R-Ohio) says the statewide mask mandate in public will also apply to in-person voters. But, he says a voter must not be turned away if they're not wearing a mask.

"We would not want anybody who works at the polls to be put in a position where they have to tell somebody 'oh you can't vote unless you have a mask on.' We're not going to do that. That is a basic right," says DeWine.

State elections officials say recruiting poll workers is their biggest challenge. New programs have been tailored to attract people in groups such a campaign to sign-up veterans and offering continuing education credits for accountants.