Since COVID-19 first made its way to the state, the pandemic has caused upheaval for plans made and those yet to be set in stone.

With 2020 an election year, talk about safety surrounding voting in summer and fall has been a point of contention for lawmakers and voters.

On Wednesday, Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an executive order that would allow some flexibility under state law for elections supervisors to begin processing mail-in ballots earlier than the law would typically allow, according to the Miami Herald.

The state has 67 local elections offices, many of which have been sounding the alarm for months, asking the governor for guidance as to how residents could vote without risking their health to do so.

Under his order, DeSantis set forth policies that would help keep state employees in their home counties, preventing them from traveling to other areas and possibly bringing COVID-19 with them. DeSantis said he hoped this provision would help alleviate potential staffing shortages while prompting officials to find effective ways to enforce social distancing and allowing for sanitizing between voters.

“I find that the strict application of some provisions of the Florida Election Code may prevent, hinder or delay necessary action in coping with the COVID-19 emergency,” DeSantis said in the order.

Voting will be held in August and in November in Florida.