Jacksonville voters react to news of President Trump’s hospitalization

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. —

President Donald Trump’s diagnosis and hospitalization comes only 32 days before Election Day.

The president flew from the White House to Walter Reed Medical Center by Marine One Friday afternoon. He’ll be in the hospital’s President’s Suite out of an abundance of caution.

“I want to thank everybody for the tremendous support. I’m going to Walter Reed Hospital. I think I’m doing very well, but we’re going to make sure that things work out,” the president said in a video released on his Twitter account.

Voters shared their reactions to news of the president’s diagnosis with Action News Jax.

“I hope that he and his wife are able to recover,” said voter Kim Mihalik. “But I also want to make sure that we are getting reliable information about the testing process for him.”

“We know that God is able, and we know that God can heal diseases. So, we’re praying for him and his family,” said voter Dr. Albert Simpson Jr.

“I wasn’t surprised at all,” said voter Talia Ward. " … because of his comments when [COVID-19] first became a pandemic."

Action News Jax asked these voters if the president’s battle with COVID-19 will impact the way they cast their ballots.

“No, it will not. This is constitutional,” said Dr. Simpson. " … We’re going to vote for the person we felt right for doing the job."

“I wouldn’t reelect him. No.” said Ward.

Mihalik spoke to Action News Jax after submitting her vote-by-mail ballot at the Supervisor of Elections Office in downtown Jacksonville.

Mihalik says she’ll be monitoring the president’s condition, but says it didn’t factor into how she voted.

“I’ve been excited about coming down and posting that in person,” said Mihalik. “I’ve been looking forward to it for a long, long, time.”

If you’re voting in person in Duval County, you can expect COVID-19 safety measures at the polls.

Measures to keep voters safe include available hand sanitizer, social distancing between voting booths and testing of poll workers.

Duval County’s Supervisor of Elections, Mike Hogan, spoke to Action News Jax on Friday.

“My staff will be screened before they get there, and they’ll be wearing masks or shields or both,” said Hogan.

Hogan says masks will be provided to voters, but not mandated.

“We’ll have masks for those that don’t have one, but I can’t make anybody take a mask and wear a mask. That’s voter suppression,” said Hogan.

He tells us keeping surfaces sanitized at the polls is a priority for his office.

“We also have a person who does nothing but sanitize the whole day, so they’ll be cleaning surfaces very quickly, as in the booth, and at the table where you check in,” said Hogan.

Cox Media Group