SWFL poll workers concerned about health on election day

With the Florida primary just hours away, some poll workers we spoke to in Southwest Florida are worried about contracting coronavirus (COVID-19) Monday.

“There’s no reason he can’t take this back for weeks,” poll worker Debbie Orrino said. “You know a month, no reason at all.”

Polling places will have hand sanitizer and even gloves on hand.

And some moved from nursing homes to protect everyone.

“Pretty sure I won’t sleep,” Orrion said. “That’s why I bought melatonin to make sure I sleep.”

Orrino takes her job as an election employee very seriously.

“I’m so excited. That’s how I get I get so hyper that I just don’t sleep the night before,” Orrino said.

In her six years on the job, nerves are usually a good thing. But this year, the nerves are not due to excitement.

“God forbid somebody does walk in with [COVID-19], and then that endangers the rest of us,” Orrino said.

Orrino’s has been following the CDC’s advice and is staying away from crowds of 50 or more people. So she is staying home with her pets, but she is upset, in order to do her job, she must come in close contact with many people.

“Has governor ever been to a voting poll?” Orrino said. “There are far more than 50 people standing there on an election day. You cannot tell me that people are gonna stand six feet or nine feet away as they walk into the poll.”

Polling places say more than 100,000 people in Lee and Collier counties have already cast their ballot by mail or have done early, in-person voting.

Another poll worker we spoke to is also worried about contact with others. She is also worried about what a low voter turnout could mean.

“Then, that’s also a negative for the system,” Laurie Price said. “And we’re citizens. That’s a right.”

So what’s left for everyone is a choice.