The Lafayette County Board of Supervisors approved a request from the Election Commission for additional funding for Election Day.

The Board approved the spending of around $11,360 in additional workers and hazard pay due to COVID-19. 

The ruling includes the addition of four more poll workers as well as 34 “COVID-19” workers who will be in charge of cleaning the voting precinct and making sure that voters are standing six feet away from each other.

In the past, poll workers would normally receive $115 to $135 per day, depending on the role they are designed. The ruling on Monday added an additionally $50 in hazard pay.

According to Lafayette County Circuit Court Clerk, Jeff Busby, he expects a large voting turnout on Nov. 3. He also expects absentee voting to increase.

“Generally, we have about 2,000 absentee votes,” Busby said. “I expect that to increase to 4,000.”

Busby believes the increase in absentee voters will be due to people not wanting to get out for fear of COVID-19. Absentee voting is encouraged for people who can’t go out and vote such as people ages 65 and up, people who are in quarantine and people who are caretakers.

Busby encourages people to not use COVID-19 as an excuse to not vote in the 2020 elections, but to instead vote absentee.

“If people are worried about COVID and don’t want to get out, vote absentee,” he said. “People are encouraged to come vote early. The earlier they can come to the Clerk’s office to vote, the safer it will be. Don’t wait a day or two before the election.”