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Collected Item: “Risking exposure to vote”

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Risking exposure to vote

What sort of object is this: text story, photograph, video, audio interview, screenshot, drawing, meme, etc.?

biography and article

Tell us a story; share your experience. Describe what the object or story you've uploaded says about the pandemic, and/or why what you've submitted is important to you.

Yesterday I found out via Facebook that someone who works in the Leander city offices has test positive for Covid-19. The city sent everyone home and closed the building to deep clean. Later in the evening I learned that the city will be holding their biweekly city council meeting tonight, in person! To make matters worse we are in the early voting period for several runoff elections and the room where the city holds the city council meeting is also the room where we vote. I personally find this infuriating and unconscionable when other options are available.
I was already thinking that my husband and I should go to two separate locations to vote thinking that the chances of us both being exposed are less if we go to different locations. This would hopefully leave one of us healthy to take care of our son.
While people across the nation have been advocating for mail in voting Texas has taken a firm stand on the issue and said no. The only people that can request a mail in ballot are those over 65 or a person with a disability.
While I plan to vote in the general election come hell or high water, I’m not sure if the runoff is worth the risk. No one should have to choose between voting and their health.
Here is a local news article that explains the situation. https://www.kxan.com/news/your-local-election-hq/leander-closes-pat-bryson-municipal-hall-after-employee-tests-positive-for-covid-19-early-voting-still-allowed/

Use one-word hashtags (separated by commas) to describe your story. For example: Where did it originate? How does this object make you feel? How does this object relate to the pandemic?

risk, voting, voter suppression, unfair, exposure, test positive, employee, city government

Enter a URL associated with this object, if relevant.

https://www.kxan.com/news/your-local-election-hq/leander-closes-pat-bryson-municipal-hall-after-employee-tests-positive-for-covid-19-early-voting-still-allowed/

Who originally created this object? (If you created this object, such as photo, then put "self" here.)

Will Dupree

Give this story a date.

2020-07-01
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