Early voting in Louisiana saw record highs as over 917,000 citizens cast their votes. Still, out of the 3.1 million registered voters in the state, approximately 2.1 million have yet to show up to the polls.

Some Louisiana residents may be hesitant to vote in-person this year due to COVID-19. 

If certain precautions are taken, Assistant State Health Officer and Region One Medical Director for the Louisiana Dept. of Health, Dr. Joseph Kanter, said that ”there are ways to go to a polling station and do it very safely.”  

Here’s a list of safety precautions Kanter and other LDH staffers recommend: 

Know your polling location info 

Voters can find where their polling station is located by visiting the Louisiana Secretary of State’s voter portal.

After inputting your name, zip code and date of birth it will display your district’s polling location and operating hours in addition to other helpful information. 

Due to high levels of voter turnout, lines this election have been noticeably longer than previous years. Voters should allow ample time, generally one to two hours, to get through the process. 

Make a Plan 

The voter portal includes information on what amendments, bills and local seats are up for election, as well as sample ballots. Voters can also use trusted bipartisan resources to dig deeper into what’s on the ballot. The Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana can be a helpful research tool. 

Kanter recommends printing out a copy of the sample ballot, marking it with decisions and bringing it to the polling location. By doing this, voters can significantly reduce their time in the building and chance of contracting the virus. 

Wear a mask and practice social distancing 

Once at the polling location, it’s imperative to wear a mask and properly social distance like normal, maintaining a 6-foot distance from everyone outside of your household.  

Kanter said it is best to wear a close-fitting mask, as this minimizes the virus’s ability to make contact with your mouth or nose. 

Be assertive 

Communications Director at LDH Aly Neel said most people maintained a safe distance from her as she waited in line to early vote, but at some points it was necessary to ask for more space. 

“People seemed respectful of keeping distance,” Neel said.  “A couple of times [I had] to reassert, but everyone seemed to take it in stride. Everyone I saw was wearing a mask.”  

Kanter added that it’s important to ensure those around you are wearing masks, and it might be necessary to remind them to do so. 

Avoid high-touch areas 

Voters should touch doors with shoulders and elbows, avoid placing hands on railings and use hand sanitizer or wash hands after touching any common areas. Kanter said these precautions reduce chances of coming into contact with COVID-19 or other viruses, such as the flu.  

Bring your own supplies 

Amenities at polling venues differ drastically between locations. Some venues provide hand sanitizer around the facility, some have “finger gloves” for safely using the touchpad inside the booth, some have plastic barriers between stations. However, voters should not assume their polling station will have these options available. 

“People do need to be prepared to take some safety precautions themselves,” Kanter said. 

It’s highly recommended that each voter brings, at minimum, their own hand sanitizer and pen, in addition to any other PPE they feel are necessary. 

Some polling stations are not giving out “I Voted” stickers due to the pandemic, but voters can visit the Louisiana Secretary of State website  to download two styles.

Kanter and Neel both emphasized the necessity of voting on Nov. 3, and not just because it’s a presidential election.  

“This is really important,” Kanter said. “Even though we’re not a swing state for presidential elections, there’s so much more on the ballot. The stakes are pretty high all around.” 

Seven Louisiana constitutional amendments are up for vote Tuesday, impacting areas such as abortion rights, tax exemptions and expenditure limits. 

Neel said that because of what’s on the ballot this election is “important for public health, but it’s also important for your personal health.”