By RANDY’L TETON
Fort Hall Native Vote coordinator
FORT HALL — With the November election just 11 days around the corner, the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes is gearing up to help voters practice healthy behaviors to slow the spread of COVID-19 leading up to Election Day on November 3.
Fort Hall Business Council Devon Boyer said every vote counts and if you just turned 18 years of age register and vote. “We need all of our people that are able to vote to vote. Together we have the ability to make change with our voting power.”
Early walk-in voting is now open at local county clerk’s offices. Bannock County Clerk office is located at 141 N. Sixth Ave in Pocatello and is open 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday until October 30. Bingham County Clerk’s office is located at 501 N Maple Street in Blackfoot and is open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday until October 30.
CDC recommends a few ways for voters to protect themselves from COVID-19 that can also be done at the polls. Washing your hands before entering and leaving the polling location can help slow the spread of COVID-19. Voters should use alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60% of alcohol to clean their hands especially if touching door handles and voting machines. Voters are also encouraged to wear a mask and stay six feet apart from others (social distance) as much as possible.
If you go to vote in-person, don’t wipe down the voting machines yourself since electronic voting equipment could be damaged by cleaners and disinfectants. Voters can use early voting, such as mid-morning to avoid crowds.
For Shoshone-Bannock Tribal members, there are two available polling locations on the Fort Hall Reservation including the Shoshone-Bannock Jr./Sr. High School for Bannock County voters and the Fort Hall Elementary school for Bingham County voters. Each voting poll will have a safety plan that adheres to COVID-19 safety recommendations for all. For Bannock Creek residents there is no voting poll on the reservation, therefore, please check with your local County Clerk office for your voting poll location.
Sho-Ban tribal members can also do their part to be prepared in advance before going to the polls. Voter registration is closed, therefore voters please make sure to bring all the necessary documents and identification (Tribal ID’s are accepted at voting polls) with you on voting day, bring his or her own black ink pen (so that you don’t have to touch pens repeatedly touched by others), and complete a sample ballot at home so that you know who to vote for efficiently. Copies of the sample ballots are located at the Tribal Business Center in the front entrance area on a voter’s table or you can find online. All information will also be available on the Tribes Native Vote Facebook page, “shobanvoter.”
For more information on CDC COVID-19 recommendations for voters, please visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/election-polling-locations.html.