California schools could be used as safe voting sites this fall

Schools in California could be used as in-person voting sites for this fall’s elections. State election officials in a letter to lawmakers this week asked them to consider closing schools around election day to allow for gymnasiums and auditoriums to be used for voting, the Los Angeles Times reported Saturday.

Joe Holland, president of the California Association of Clerks and Elected Officials, told the Times that using those spaces could allow voters to follow guidelines meant to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus, such as physical distancing. “Schools have facilities that are big enough to accommodate in-person voting with the COVID-19 environment that we have to deal with,” Holland said.

Earlier this month, Gov. Newsom signed an executive order requiring election officials across the state to send mail-in ballots to all registered voters before the general election in November. Still, voters would have the option of voting in person.