MIDLAND, Texas — Texans will not be required to wear face coverings when they head to the polls on Election Day.
This ruling came down after a federal appeals court halted an order that would have required voters to wear a face-mask.
In Midland, voters are encouraged to wear masks, but masks will not be enforced.
"We recommend that everyone wear a mask just for their safety and for ours, but we cannot enforce it because they did give the stay on the governor’s proclamation," Carolyn Graves, Midland Co. elections administrator said.
Poll workers, however, will be required to wear masks.
"I think everyone is very aware of the situation and they want to keep themselves safe and they want to keep everyone else safe," Graves said.
Midland County elections administrator Carolyn Graves said they haven’t had any pushback at all from poll workers and that in fact, several of them are even wearing gloves in addition to their masks.
As far as voters, the elections office in Midland has seen very few show up without masks.
Graves said she believes Gov. Abbott made this exception to the mask mandate at polling locations to avoid any hindrances for voters.
"From my perspective it was because you can’t put any restrictions on a voter and so a mask would be a restriction for someone," Graves said.
Over in Ector County, their elections office said they have signs up recommending voters wear a mask, but are also not enforcing.
Their poll workers are recommended to wear them as well.