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The ongoing coronavirus disease outbreak has more people than usual interested in avoiding human contact and doing their democratic duty by mail.
Volusia County Supervisor of Elections Lisa Lewis said her office is seeing some 300 requests per day for vote-by-mail ballots come in, compared to the typical 100 per day they might see around this time of year normally.
“It’s picked up quite a bit,” she said.
Lewis also noted that her office is in the middle of relocating out of the Historic Volusia County Courthouse and into a 17,100-square-foot space at 1750 S. Woodland Blvd., the Victoria Square shopping complex at the corner of State Road 15A, Taylor Road and South Woodland Boulevard.
New voter cards with the agency’s new address should be arriving in voters’ mailboxes soon.
“Everybody is going to be getting a new voter registration card telling them how to vote by mail,” said Lewis.
The Elections Department has been in the courthouse since the summer of 2005, following its movement from a former retail building on North Florida Avenue, close to the Athens Theatre.
Lewis said she is worried about poll worker staffing levels, with many choosing to abdicate their duties due to worries about being exposed to the coronavirus.
“Most of our poll workers are experienced, and they’re of the older generation where they work and think their civic duty is very important, but with this virus, they’re the most vulnerable,” Lewis said.
She said the agency is exploring looking at “adopt-a-precinct” programs, where a local club would adopt and help staff a particular precinct, similar to anti-litter “adopt a street” initiatives.
Visit www.volusiaelections.org for more information, or call the Elections Department at 386-736-5930.
