ST. CHARLES COUNTY, Mo. — A St. Charles County poll worker who tested positive for COVID-19 days before the election and later died worked at a polling place on Election Day.
The election judge supervisor received a positive COVID-19 test result on Oct. 30 and was advised to quarantine for 14 days, according to a spokesperson for St. Charles County government.
The election judge "failed to follow the advice" and worked at the County’s Precinct 41 at the Blanchette Park Memorial Hall polling site in St. Charles on Election Day, the spokesperson said.
The worker died; the county said a cause of death has not been given.
The health department is in the process of contact tracing, informing other election workers who were at the site and working with the person's family members to determine where the person may have been.
"It is not anticipated that close contacts will include any of the 1,858 voters who were at the polling place Tuesday, as the worker was a supervisor with job duties that do not typically include working closely with voters, handling iPads, distributing styluses, or taking voter identification," the spokesperson said.
Those who were at the precinct should watch closely for symptoms and contact the county’s COVID Hotline at 636-949-1899 with questions.
All election workers were mandated to wear masks or face shields at all times, and Plexiglas barriers separated the workers from the voters, St. Charles County Director of Elections Kurt Bahr said. Sanitation procedures were practiced throughout the day.
“As this virus continues to spread, all aspects of the healthcare system are working together to remind the community that a positive COVID-19 test result requires that person to be responsible to others in the community,” said St. Charles County Director of Public Health Demetrius Cianci-Chapman. “There is no more important duty than protecting the health of our families, friends and those who reside in the community with us.”
