Wisconsin's Governor Is Trying To Postpone The Primary Election Due To Coronavirus Fears

In the 11th hour, Wisconsin moved its primary election from Tuesday (April 7), as soon as it was previously scheduled.


Governor Tony Evers reported on Monday (April 6) that the state will be halting in-person voting and pushing statewide and local elections to June 9 due to coronavirus concerns, POLITICO reported. Wisconsin joins over a dozen other states that have postponed their primary elections to avoid spreading COVID-19, according to the New York Times.


“Today, I signed an executive group suspending in-person voting for tomorrow’s election,” Evers mentioned in a press release. “Frankly, there’s no good answer to this problem — I wish it were easy.”


The Democratic governor’s choice to postpone the election is expected to be met with blowback from the Republican-controlled state legislature, which already chose not to postpone the election while in a special session last week.


“I have been asking each person to do their part to help keep our families, our neighbors, and our communities safe, and I had hoped that the nation's lawmakers would do its part — just because the rest of us are — to help keep people healthy and safe,” Gov. Evers mentioned in the press release. “But as municipalities are consolidating polling locations, and absent legislative or court action, I cannot in good conscience stand by and do nothing.”


Republican state Home Speaker Robin Vos and state Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald argue that “an election is just as critical as getting take-out food,” and that new leaders must continue to be elected categorize in attempt to “swiftly respond to the crisis at hand.” According to Sam Levine, a voting rights reporter for The Guardian, Wisconsin Republicans have already filed a motion in the state's Supreme Court in a try to stop Evers' executive order.


Nevertheless, Evers and other Democrats argue that allowing people to vote in person would not only put people prone to getting and spreading COVID-19 (and go against the state-wide ban on gatherings of 10 or more people) although would also hurt voter turnout.


“The bottom line is that I have an obligation to keep people safe, and that’s why I signed this executive sort today,” Gov. Evers said.


You will support prevent the spread of COVID-19. Not each person has the alternative to live at residence, although in case could, you've got to! Social distancing is the new common, and we’re here to help.