Palmer early voting site closed through Sunday after poll worker tests positive for COVID-19

By Anchorage Daily News

Updated: October 24, 2020 Published: October 24, 2020

A sign on the door of the Mat-Su Borough building early voting site notifies voters of a closure due to a case of COVID-19 detected in a poll worker, on Friday, Oct. 23, 2020 in Palmer. The voting location will reopen on Monday. (Loren Holmes / ADN)

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Palmer’s early voting location will remain closed through the weekend after a poll worker tested positive for COVID-19, elections officials said Friday.

“The poll worker had no close contact with any voters so the risk to voters is considered to be very low,” the Alaska Division of Elections said in a statement Friday afternoon. “The worker was wearing a facial covering and plexiglass separated the worker from voters.”

The worker had worked through Thursday at the early voting site, located at the Matanuska-Susitna Borough Building, but didn’t work Friday, according to the Division of Elections.

Elections officials said the early voting location in Palmer, which is “undergoing cleaning and disinfecting according to CDC guidelines,” closed Friday at 11 a.m. and will reopen Monday at 8 a.m.

Until Monday, voters can cast their ballot at the Wasilla Public Library, according to the Division of Elections. The Wasilla voting location has ballots for all House districts and will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday.

A list of early and in-person voting locations is available on the state elections website.