Biden and Trump Still Want You: Early Voting and March 17 Presidential Primary Still On in Flagler

“It’s my hope that turnout is not affected by fear of unsafe polling locations,” Lenhart said this afternoon.

Flagler Beach and Bunnell also hold their municipal elections on March 17, with two seats on each city Commission on the ballot and four candidates running in each town.

“The safety of our voters and election workers remains a top priority,” Lenhart had said in a statement earlier in the day. “My office is taking active measures to help ensure our polling places are safe during this election using recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control. My office is following these guidelines, including training poll workers to clean voting equipment using disinfectant supplies and by making hand sanitizer available for workers and voters. I encourage voters with concerns to consider voting early today or Saturday. Voters who choose to vote on Election Day may vote during off-peak hours (1:00 – 4:00 P.M.) as a way of minimizing contact with crowds on Election Day.”

Voters can also still vote by mail. Voters can choose to pick-up a Vote-by-Mail ballot from the Elections Office, up to and including Election Day. All mail ballots must be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day (March 17). You may drop off your ballot in person at any early voting location during voting hours. There is also a secure ballot drop box at the entrance of the Elections Office in Bunnell which is under video surveillance and available 24/7.

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“Americans have participated in elections during challenging times in the past.”

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Though the state Supreme Court ordered the postponement of all civil and criminal trials in the state’s circuits, and the state Department of Education ordered all schools closed for at least an extra week following spring break (which began today), there were no indications from elected officials that the presidential preference primary would be affected.

Tuesday is the last chance to vote in the Presidential Preference Primary Election for registered Democrats and registered Republicans. The Republican primary is not much of one: Donald Trump is getting only nominal opposition. The Democratic primary began losing its uncertainties last Tuesday, with Joe Biden continuing to trounce Bernie Sanders, who is far behind Biden in Florida polls and faces possible losses in Ohio, Illinois and Arizona Tuesday.

Stressing the importance of elections, the chief election officials in all four primary states–Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, Florida Secretary of State Laurel M. Lee, Illinois Elections Board Chairman Charles Scholz Ohio and Secretary of State Frank LaRose–this afternoon released the following statement: “Unlike concerts, sporting events or other mass gatherings where large groups of people travel long distances to congregate in a confined space for an extended period of time, polling locations see people from a nearby community coming into and out of the building for a short duration. Further, guidance from voting machine manufacturers on how best to sanitize machines, guidance from CDC on best practices for hand washing, and guidance from our respective state health officials is being provided to every polling location.”

The joint statement went on: “Americans have participated in elections during challenging times in the past, and based on the best information we have from public health officials, we are confident that voters in our states can safely and securely cast their ballots in this election, and that otherwise healthy poll workers can and should carry out their patriotic duties on Tuesday.”

Voters choosing to cast their ballot on Election Day must do so at their assigned precinct polling location. There are no changes to Election Day precinct locations at this time. Find your precinct online: www.FlaglerElections.com/precinct-finder