(30 Oct 2020) FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: 4295193
With long waits making headlines during early voting across the country, professional sports venues have emerged as bright spots, repurposing huge spaces mostly devoid of fans into efficient and relatively safe polling places.
Featuring rows and rows of voting machines, ample space for social distancing and staff accustomed to large crowds, these mega voting sites are proving attractive to voters looking for the best way to cast their ballots amid the coronavirus pandemic.
More than 20 NBA teams, including the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco, signed on to host voting or other election-related activities, including voter registration and poll worker training, in their arenas or practice facilities.
Some of those commitments came after NBA players protesting racial injustice and police brutality halted the playoffs for three days in August, and the league agreed to a plan that included encouraging voting.
In a normal year, the NBA's regular season would be starting right about now.
But the coronavirus outbreak that has altered voting procedures during the presidential election also has delayed the season and left arenas sitting empty.
Opening them to voters seemed a natural fit.
The NFL, NHL and MLB also are getting involved.
Half the NFL's 32 teams are making their facilities available following offseason conversations commissioner Roger Goodell had with players about ways to leverage the league's power against social injustice.
Find out more about AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
Twitter: [ Ссылка ]
Facebook: [ Ссылка ]
Instagram: [ Ссылка ]
You can license this story through AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
