CLEVELAND, Ohio – A shortage of 500 poll workers announced Friday shrunk by half on Saturday, putting the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections roughly on track with other election years.

Secretary of State Frank LaRose and Cuyahoga County Board of Elections Director Anthony Perlatti said 250 people had signed up since Friday afternoon’s announcement, mostly through the secretary of state’s recruiting website. Perlatti said that puts the poll worker shortage in the same range as 2016 – an election where they weren’t dealing with a pandemic such as the coronavirus.

While welcome news, LaRose said it was still imperative to try to cut the deficit to zero.

“We need more poll workers," he said. "To be clear, the guidance has been that it is safe for healthy Ohioans to work the polls. The public health officials have been unanimous about that: it is safe to be a poll worker.”

Cuyahoga County’s problem is not unique, with counties around the state experiencing a shortage for a variety of reasons. In the last week, the developments in the coronavirus outbreak have exacerbated the problem.

LaRose said his office is reimbursing the cost for cleaning supplies for all county boards of election in the state.

Perlatti said his office is sending cleaning supplies and hand sanitizer to every polling site in the county.

LaRose said he especially wanted to urge students, either high school or college age, to sign up for the paid poll worker positions since they may not be in class.

LaRose also said he wanted to clear up any confusion about Gov. Mike DeWine’s order banning mass gatherings of more than 100 people as it relates to the election. Polling sites are not considered a mass gathering under this definition since people are constantly coming and going. That differs from events like athletic competitions where hundreds or thousands of people are congregated at one time.

Anyone interested in being a poll worker can sign up with the secretary of state’s office at https://www.ohiosos.gov/defenddemocracy or the Cuyahoga County board of elections website at www.443vote.us.