MAINE, USA — This election is different than many because many people won't be heading out to the polls on Tuesday. According to the Secretary of State's office, about half of Maine's registered voters have already cast their ballot.
For those who are heading to the polls, officials are still urging you to be safe.
In Vassalboro, a last-minute change of plans after someone associated with the Vassalboro Community School was exposed to COVID-19, moving the election from the gym at the school back to its usual location at the town hall.
"The gymnasium is a much larger polling area than what we have available at the town office," Town Manager Mary Sabins said.
She added that more than 1,500 people have already voted in Vassalboro so Sabins said she's hopeful everyone will still be able to stay healthy voting at town hall with precautions in place.
"We have wide tables to keep them separated further still, we're doing what we can," she said.
Secretary of State Matt Dunlap says his office has given out plexiglass barriers as well as single-use pens, the same precautions taken for the primary over the summer.
"We saw no increase in infections after the primary," Dunlap told NEWS CENTER Maine
He added that a problem year after year is finding enough Election Day workers, many of those are retired and at higher risk of COVID-19 complications.
"Community members have stepped up. To our knowledge, we haven't heard of any town that is dangerously short on poll workers," he said.
Maine CDC Director Dr. Nirav Shah advised Mainers on Election Day safety at Monday's coronavirus briefing.
"The basic principles are the same principles we've learned to live with now for the last several months. Which is to say please make sure you've got a face covering on, please make sure you're keeping as much physical distance as possible," Shah said.
Shah added that if you aren't feeling well, to make other plans to vote on Tuesday.
Maine Secretary of State's office is encouraging everyone going to the polls to wear a mask but discouraging people from wearing a mask with any political slogan or candidate name.