A St. Louis election judge that tested positive for COVID-19 has now died, raising concerns for the nearly 2,000 people who in his proximity.
The St. Charles County Department of Public Health and the St. Charles County Election Authority said the judge, an older adult woman, received a positive result for COVID-19 on Oct. 30 from a private lab, according to ABC News.
The person was advised to quarantine for 14 days, but did not and instead worked at the County’s Precinct 41 at Blanchette Park Memorial Hall polling site on Election Day, St. Charles County, Missouri, spokeswoman Mary Enger said in a news release Thursday.
“The election judge nevertheless failed to follow the advice” and worked throughout the day on Tuesday, Enger said. “Authorities have informed the County that this individual has died, although a cause of death has not been given at this time.”
The Department of Public Health has contacted the other nine election workers who were at the site and are currently working with family members to determine the worker’s whereabouts prior to the positive test result. The workers at the polling site are being advised to get tested for COVID-19, Enger said.
The infected poll worker’s duties did not “typically” include handling iPads, or having close contact with the 1,858 voters such as taking voter identification, according to Enger.
St. Charles County Public Health Department director, Demetrius Cianci-Chapman said “Fortunately most voting interactions are brief and hopefully that will minimize any transmission that may have occurred at this particular polling place.”
Officials urged anyone who was at the precinct on Election Day to watch closely for symptoms and contact the county’s COVID hotline with questions.