(8/30) Town Manager Cathy Willets briefed the Town Council at their August meeting on the voting related virus protocols that would be in effect for the September 29 election.

Four individuals, comprised of three election judges and one greeter, will be working inside and outside the polling facility. The polls had previously been staffed by only three people. The staff will be provided with gloves and masks.

Face masks will be required for entry into voting facility, and voters will be requested to use hand-sanitizer upon entry into the building. There will be two voting booths, which will be located at least six-feet apart, as per social distancing requirements. Additionally, there will be taped marking on the floor and outside the polling facility debarking social distancing.

The greeter will be posted outside to ensure no more than two voters are inside at any time, manage the line at door of those waiting to vote to ensure social-distancing, hand out face masks for voters who do not have one prior to entering, and have voters use hand-sanitizer before entering voting room.

In addition to managing the voting process, the judges will also be charged with wiping-down the voting booth with sanitizer after each voter exists, collecting pens from voters (after voting) and disinfecting them for the next voters., periodically wiping down the ballot-box with disinfectant, and periodically wiping down the sign-in table with disinfectant.

The commissioners also voted at their August meeting to approve the election judges and poll staff for the September 29 election. Appointed were: Lynn Orondorff as chief-judge; Charlotte Mazaleski as judge; Tammy May as judge;Deborah Arnold as "on-call" alternate judge/poll-greeter; and Tracy Lewis as poll-greeter.

Due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns, anyone wishing to not vote in-person, may request an absentee ballot. Absentee ballots must be returned to the town office no later than September 28. Anyone interesting in running as a write-in candidate must apply, and submit financial disclosures by noon, September 22. The town election will be held September 29 at the poll located at 22 East Main Street.