Iowa City, Iowa â Nina B. Elkadi
Itâs six a.m., and the elementary school gymnasium has come to life.
The hum isnât from school children. Classes, held in person in Iowa City this fall despite the pandemic, have been canceled for election day; instead, the murmur resonates from my fellow precinct election officials, all of whom sport thin, white hair.
The average age of the poll workers, including me, is 83.
When I introduce myself to my precinct chair, he reaches for a handshake. I offer up an elbow bump instead.
âAh, right! Elbow bump.â He smiles, maskless. âGot it,â he says.