It is irresponsible not to require face masks when voting The pandemic continues to rage in Brazos County, and we have averaged more than 100 new cases per day over the past week. The leaders of both Bryan and College Station, as well as Brazos County, have responded to this crisis by requiring the use of face-masks in public places in order to control the spread of COVID-19. Unfortunately for voters, the Texas Election Code takes precedence over local ordinances, so masks are not required within 100 feet of a polling place. Since an election judge in College Station has chosen not to wear a mask or maintain a 6-foot social distance from voters, I contacted the Brazos County Clerk's office and as well as the County Elections Administrator. I was informed that they could only recommend, but not require, election workers to wear masks. Consequently, voters who are not eligible to vote by mail are forced to exercise their right to vote in an unsafe and unhealthy environment. In the midst of this crisis, it is unconscionable and irresponsible of local officials not to take action to protect voters. TERI METCALF College Station
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