WOODLAND, CA (MPG) - A staff person working in the Yolo County Elections Office tested positive for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) on Monday, November 9, 2020. This staff person had minimal interaction with Poll Workers but did work with other Elections staff and some election observers. There was limited exposure to Voter Assistance Centers or Yolo County residents and voters. The County’s Contact Tracing team will be working to ensure that those that were in close contact are notified.

The Yolo County Elections Office has been adhering to social distancing and disinfecting protocols and have been requiring all staff and visitors to wear a face covering in compliance with state and local guidance. 

Since confirmation of a positive COVID-19 case, the Yolo County Elections Office has enacted the following additional mitigation steps: 

• Temporarily limiting Election staff within the office to critical infrastructure to continue the canvass of the 2020 General Election.
• Scheduling deep cleaning for impacted facilities.
• Communicating consistently with Yolo County Public Health.
• Launching contact tracing investigations.
• Sending all staff home who are deemed to have been in close contact with the exposed staff member to self-quarantine and providing testing information.
• Authorizing staff who are deemed non-critical infrastructure to telework for the time being.
• Ensuring sufficient supplies and continuous trainings of PPEs such as face coverings.
• Continuing and increasing disinfection techniques.

Elections staff will still meet the election certification deadline of December 3, 2020 for the November 2020 General Election. Over 99,000 total votes were cast in Yolo County with more than 90,000 vote by mail ballots.

“To preserve the health and safety of our staff, observers and the public, we are taking extensive measures to contain this incident and are adjusting our election certification process accordingly,” said Yolo County Assessor/Clerk-Recorder/Registrar of Voters Jesse Salinas. “We appreciate the publics’ understanding and patience as we proceed through this situation safely.” 

Yolo County residents can connect with Yolo County ACE – Assessor/Clerk-Recorder/Elections on Facebook: @YoloACE, Instagram: @YoloCoACE, and Twitter: @YoloCoACE. For Yolo County’s website visit: https://www.yolocounty.org. Call 2-1-1 for resource information. For additional updates follow Yolo County on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/YoloCounty/ or Twitter at: https://twitter.com/YoloCountyCA.