Florida early voting site closes because of COVID-19 among election workers

MELBOURNE, Fla. — A Florida early voting site has been closed after election workers tested positive for COVID-19, the state's Brevard County Supervisor of Elections Lori Scott announced Friday.

The affected site is in Palm Bay, Fla. — at the supervisor of elections' administrative offices, which also is temporarily closed.

In announcing the closing of the site, Scott said voters "did not have direct exposure with the affected individuals" because of "the multitude of safety measures, and the half-inch ballistic glass between affected workers and the voting public."

Nevertheless, Scott said she decided to close the polling site and her administrative offices there "in an abundance of caution," after consulting with Florida Department of Health officials.

Citing the "stringent safety protocols" in place since the March presidential preference primary, Scott said: "It is a tribute to our strict safety measures that we have been able to process almost a half a million voters through the election process this year before having our first positive case.”

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This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Florida voting site closed, workers COVID positive: Election 2020