GREEN BAY, Wis. (SPECTRUM NEWS) -- Polling sites seemed quiet Tuesday, as more voters chose to cast ballots by mail for the August primaries. 

Poll workers opened envelopes to process those enclosed ballots.

Karl Kaufman, a Chief Elections Inspector in Appleton, spent most of the day overlooking those mail-in ballots.

"We’ve seen a lower in-person turn out than we saw in April, and, of course, over normal elections, we’ll put it that way. It's quite a bit slower," Kaufman said.

This is the second election that goes on during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

 

 

This time around, more precautions were in place for voters who preferred in-person voting. Poll workers made safety a top priority. Signs, masks, and arrows directing voters were all seen at polling sites. 

"We have masks on. We're sanitizing, social distancing. I feel safe here, so I would hope they will feel safe, too," said Karen Schely, a Chief Elections Inspector in Green Bay.

Voters like Ken Helmke of Green Bay decided on in-person voting. Like many voters present, he says it's the method he trusts most. 

“If you come here and vote then you know for sure your ballot is counted, because once you put it through the machine, you know it’s good,” Helmke said.  

 

Most voters were seen wearing masks ready to fulfill their civic duty.

"I wasn't worried about going in person, but wearing a mask, and everybody social distancing, that's fine. I just wanted to make sure I came here and have my voice heard," said Green Bay voter, Barb O'Brien.

Election officials say they'll apply any lessons learned Tuesday to the November election, which they expect to be much busier.