Pandemic temporarily shutters election office
With less than two weeks until the hotly-contested election, Clinton Township has shuttered its elections department due to COVID-19 infections among two and possibly three employees.
Speaking to TheMacomb Daily from her home Wednesday night, Clinton TownshipClerkKimMeltzer confirmed she is one of two who have tested positive for the coronavirus.
“I’m not shying away from the fact I have COVID. It’s not a scarlet letter,” she said.
Meltzer stated she received a flu shot on Oct. 13. Five days later, on Sunday, Oct. 18, she developed a fever. She assumed the fever was a side-effect of the shot. However, her doctor suggested she be tested for COVID-19. On Monday, it was confirmed she had the coronavirus.
“I was in the office with a staffer before (the diagnosis). I told her to get tested and it came back positive,” Meltzer said, adding tests are still pending to determine if a third worker is also COVID-19 positive.
“We are so close to the election, that timing is awful. But I cannot take any chances. It’s the worst time for something like this to happen,” she said.
In both the release and in a phone interview, Meltzer expressed optimism the officewill reopen byMonday. Supervisor Robert Cannon, speaking to The Macomb Daily, reiterated that.
“We are trying to make sure all employees get tested and plan to have that office reopened by Monday if not sooner,” Cannon said.
In the meantime, there is staff on hand to empty outdoor collection boxes and they are getting absentee ballots to voters requesting them.
“We will continue to receive ballots bymail and from the six collection boxes throughout the township,” Meltzer said.
Whenaskedabout the impact onvote testing andworker training, Meltzer acknowledged a prolonged closure could be problematic, adding she has been in contact with the state about the issue.
“The state has been supportive. I think I would have the governor’s support on this,” she said of the decision to close the office.
As for her own condition, Meltzer, who was energetic in a phone interview stated she is progressing.
“I’m good but I’m staying home and taking medicine,” she said. “It could have been worse if I didn’t take care of it early. I can’t stress that enough. People need to take this virus seriously, get tested and wear their masks.”
She referred residents to the township’swebsite, clintontownship.com, for updates on when the election department will reopen.