Howard County is prepared to hold safe elections June 2 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. County Clerk Shelly Howell received a supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) personally delivered by Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft Thursday afternoon. It included masks, face shields, and hand sanitizer.

Howell said that her office has all the necessary equipment to protect both judges and the voting public. 

“I want to reassure everyone that I am taking all the precautions that I feel are necessary for the upcoming elections,” Howell said. “Out of the abundance of caution, I am going to provide face masks, face shields, gloves, hand sanitizer, antibacterial wipes, and social distancing posters and markers for my judges and the polling locations.”

Judges will be required to wear either face shields or masks, or both. Howell asks that the public use the hand sanitizer sparingly to prevent ballots from smearing, which the voting machines will be unable to read.

“I appreciate the public for being patient through this time during an election year,” she said.

Missouri municipal elections were originally scheduled for April 7, but were postponed to June 2 in an effort to mitigate the spread from the novel coronavirus.

Absentee voting is currently open until 5 p.m. on June 1. The clerk’s office in the Howard County courthouse will be open Saturday, May 30 from 8 a.m. to noon.

Sample ballots for the election appear on page 8 of this newspaper.