Elections officials in Palm Beach County are seeing more mail-in ballot requests than usual this year, as a result of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Staff at the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections office say they are getting about 1,500 requests for mail-in ballots each day, totaling more than 200,000 requests to this point.
Wendy Sartory Link, Supervisor of Elections, has sent mailers to residents, to remind them about the process for requesting a mail-in ballot.
“Avoid the crowds, stay safe, vote from home,” a mailer states.
The inside of the mailer reads: “We are living in uncertain times, and no one knows what the continued effects of COVID-19 will be as we enter this very important election season. We want the highest voter turnout possible, and we encourage you to request a Vote-by-Mail ballot for the upcoming elections.”
Voting by mail in Palm Beach County is a safe and easy way to cast your ballot this election season. Request your ballot by mail in less than 2 minutes on our website. https://t.co/LnJkmxWgbE pic.twitter.com/bQstBAlKme
— Wendy Sartory Link, PBC Supervisor of Elections (@pbcelections) June 10, 2020
Voters in Palm Beach County can request the mail-in ballots in multiple ways: visiting www.pbcelections.org, calling (561) 656-6200 and selecting #2, or by emailing votebymail@pbcelections.org.
Sartory Link also said they are ordering personal protective equipment, sanitizer, and other protective measures to keep polling locations safe.
She added that due to social distancing guidelines, fewer people will be allowed inside voting locations at a time.
“Lines are going to be a reality and for people who are concerned about that, we want to make sure they have an option [for vote by mail],” Link said.
PBC Elections Office Prepares for Surge in Vote-By-Mail Requests