By ROD ZOOK
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Reno County Elections Clerk Jenna Fager says, right now, she doesn’t see any major changes to the August primary or general election in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Currently, we are still planning on running our elections like we normally would,” Fager said. “There’s been talk of people wanting to do mail ballot elections, but the law does not allow for that currently.”
Fager says polling places will be open for the elections and stressed the elections staff will have proper protection and will be taking the proper steps to ensure their safety and the safety of voters.
“We do have PPE protection for the board workers,” Fager said. “We’re going to supply masks and gloves and sanitizer and we’re going to be cleaning regularly as we’re processing the voters.”
The clerk’s office has been getting a lot of requests for ballots on the Democratic side. Fager fears that some of those voters are thinking they are getting a ballot for the Democratic caucus.
“A good majority of what we’re receiving currently are people requesting a Democratic ballot,” Fager said. “I feel that maybe part of that is they think they’re applying for a ballot for the Democratic primary next Saturday.” Fager says they still process all of the requests, but wanted to stress that they have nothing to do with the caucus and that it is entirely operated by the Democratic party. All registered Democrats should already have a ballot for the Saturday vote.
So far, more than 870 requests have come in for mail-out ballots.