Hence MacGyver. Kaufert asked a city maintenance worker to build Plexiglas barriers to put between poll workers and voters. Kaufert was inspired by screens he saw in his city’s finance department, which had just been renovated.

“I sketched something out on paper and gave it to my maintenance guy and within six hours he had a prototype for me,” he said.

By the next week, 26 clear shields were situated in front of poll workers helping people cast early ballots in the city of 25,000.

Voters check in using touchscreen electronic poll books. To reduce the risk of touching a potentially contaminated surface, Kaufert did some Googling and figured out how to make reusable writing utensils out of Q-tips and aluminum foil.