The view from the Idea Center

Senior citizens are among those most at risk for coronavirus. Of the 22 coronavirus-related deaths reported in Washington State’s King County, for example,  19 have been linked to one suburban Seattle long-term care facility. Industry leaders are advising senior residential facilities to  tell friends and family to stay away.

In Ohio, Secretary of State Frank LaRose  wants voters to stay away, too. He’s ordered local elections officials to find new locations for 128 polling sites located in nursing homes and senior living facilities, following this week’s announcement of the state’s first three confirmed cases of COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus.

In  Cuyahoga County, 36 polling locations are being relocated, including the Lee-Miles Senior Citizen Housing in Cleveland, the Menorah Park Center for Senior Living in Beachwood and the Knickerbocker Apartments in Bay Village. Elections officials say they’re working to find other sites.  They’ve got a week to do so.

Voters will be notified of the changes by mail, but you can check your polling location status on the  board of elections website or by calling 216-443-VOTE (8683). 

The unexpected change could discourage from voting those elderly residents who have difficulty getting around.

“Those residents expected […] that  they were just going to walk down to the community space in their facility and they were going to cast their vote," said one elections official.

Voters and poll workers (many of whom are senior citizens)  should not be scared away from public polling places by the coronavirus, LaRose said. Voting machines will be wiped down and hand sanitizer will be available.

He vowed “it will be a safe environment on Election Day.”
 

See you bright and early on the radio tomorrow,
Amy Eddings

Need to KnOH

Headlines from Northeast Ohio and Beyond

• Manoush Zomorodi Takes Over As Host Of NPR’s ‘TED Radio Hour’
• $100M In Art Given To Cleveland Museum of Art
• Your Coronavirus Questions, Answered
• UH Staff, Cleveland-Area Students Exposed To Coronavirus
• Marijuana Legalization Proposal Rejected By Ohio Attorney General
• Police Departments Nationwide Look To Dayton For Active Shooter Training
• The Democratic Nomination Is Now In View For Joe Biden — And 5 Other Takeaways

Your ideas

ideastream is getting word that Cleveland's usually epic St. Patrick's Day parade is canceled. How does this news change your St. Patrick's Day plans and traditions? Are you surprised or did you see this one coming given all the other coronavirus cancellations? Call us at  (216) 916-6476, comment on our Facebook page or join the conversation in  Public Square. We'll feature some of your thoughts and comments here in Noon(ish) and on Morning Edition.