Hudson Valley Voters Urged to Get Tested After COVID-19 Exposure

Poll workers are being quarantined and voters are being advised to get tested after possibly being exposed to COVID-19 on election day.

Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro tweeted last night that a poll worker in Hopewell Junction tested positive for COVID-19 just days after volunteering during in-person voting.

Dutchess County Department of Behavioral and Community Health Commissioner Dr. Anil Vaidian announced that the individual in question had been following all precautionary steps including mask-wearing, hand sanitizing and physical distancing. Dr. Vaidian did not indicate whether pre-screening or temperature checks were conducted before poll workers were allowed on site, but he did say that the individual was not experiencing any symptoms, which he believes lessens the risk to voters. However, anyone who voted at the East Fishkill Community Center is being advised to get a COVID-19 test.

We encourage you to be tested as a precaution. This is an important reminder that the virus is still present in our community and we must continue to take necessary mitigation steps to keep our community safe – including wearing a face covering, social distancing and frequent hand washing.

Other poll workers who volunteered alongside the individual on Tuesday are now under quarantine and being tested for COVID-19. The Town of East Fishkill had already cleaned and disinfected the polling site after it closed on Tuesday evening.

This year, New Yorkers were given the option to vote by mail to minimize the number of people gathering on election day. Due to a significant increase in voting lines during early voting, as well as on election day, were exceptionally long in several areas of the Hudson Valley. Many voters reported waiting over an hour to cast their ballot.