SAN ANTONIO — This story has been updated with a response from SAISD.
The Bexar County Elections Department announced Monday night that three polling stations for the Joint Primary Runoff Election on July 14 will be closed.
Cameron Elementary, Storm Elementary, and Corbett Middle School will be closed. 214 other vote centers will remain open. Officials say an SAISD staff member at Cameron tested positive for coronavirus, and staff members are going into quarantine.
"The reason for the three closures is due to the many challenges of the current COVID-19 pandemic," Elections Administrator Jacque Callanen said in an email. "Some of the assigned election teams at the locations made the decision not to serve, because of this dangerous virus."
"Please keep in mind that the average judge’s age is 72, so we certainly understand their concerns.”
She also mentioned that some voters had been arriving without masks and showing "disrespect" to poll workers during early voting.
"Certain voters made an issue of the governor stating masks not mandatory in the poll sites," she said. “One of the best things our wonderful voters in Bexar County can do is to wear a mask when they cast their ballot, as well as socially distance. We understand that although the masks are not mandatory to vote, it would be a way of showing respect for our judges and election personnel.”
Callanen claimed that the entire staff at Cameron Elementary was going into quarantine, but SAISD reached out to say this was not the case. They say two people tested positive, and five people who had contact with them are working from home. Other workers who did not have contact can still work in the building.
"It’s unfortunate that this led to a decision to change Cameron as a polling site," an SAISD official said.
Signs will direct people at Cameron to go to Claude Black Community Center or Sam Houston High School. Voters at Storm will be redirected to Sarah King Elementary, and those at Corbett will be sent to Universal City Library.
This announcement came after the full list of 217 polling locations was sent out.