Ballot Counting Continues In Salem County After COVID-19 Breakout

Reports have surfaced claiming that multiple election workers, part-time, full-time and volunteer, may have come down with COVID-19 in Salem County. The test results confirm three temporary board of elections workers are indeed positive while the others are still waiting for their results.

NJ.com reports that election board employees seemingly asymptomatic so far have been provided with a quarantined area to carry out the counting process. Reportedly, those counting are two Democrats and two Republican who receive the ballots everyday from a secured room where they are then returned at the end of the day.

Why are they still able to continue to work? Well, for one, the ballots must be counted. Secondly, as long as they are not coming into contact with anyone working in the building, the health department has given the board of elections the green light for the workers to continue counting.

According to the county's deputy administrator, even with COVID-19 infiltrating the building and offices, they've still been able to keep up with the intense workload they accurately anticipated this particular election would dump on their plates. No specific date was given regarding a completion deadline. However, who knows whether or not the test results still to be revealed will lead to a delay in the count. So far, though, it doesn't look like that will be the case.

Source: NJ.com