Just imagine the kind of chaos a last minute postponement would do in Illinois
UPDATE X3: Governor DeWine ordered the state’s health department to shutter polling places, so the Ohio primary is off again. POLITICO link is updated with latest developments out of Ohio.
UPDATE X2: Ohio judge denied the state’s request to postpone in-person voting. Ohio primary remains on March 17 as planned
UPDATE: Given Ohio’s decision, Illinois State Board of Elections confirms tomorrow’s primary is on, as scheduled:
- CapitolFax article: https://capitolfax.com/2020/03/16/illinois-state-board-of-elections-illinois-primary-election-still-on
It’s true. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine (R), with concurrence of the two state party chairs, wants to postpone tomorrow’s scheduled Ohio primary election to June 2nd due to Coronavirus concerns:
Note the timestamp of the POLITICO screenshot.
Like Illinois, Ohio would need a Court Order to postpone an election, and all of the officials support a lawsuit to postpone in-person voting for the Ohio primary to June 2.
And the Ohio primary includes congressional and down ballot races.
Just think of the chaos a postponement of the election would cause in Illinois especially with down ballot races.
It would be like earning a spot in a runoff, but without any of your competitors being eliminated because there was no first round of voting.
All candidates, from congressional on down, would have to immediately raise money for a postponed election 2 1/2 months down the road.
It will not happen in Illinois, as there has been no such talk, and Governor J.B. Pritzker says it is unprecedented.
Just like it is in Ohio.
External link:
Ohio and Kentucky https://www.npr.org/2020/03/16/816610353/ohio-officials-request-postponing-tuesdays-primary-over-coronavirus-concerns
Louisiana https://www.npr.org/2020/03/13/815464629/louisiana-postpones-presidential-primary-over-coronavirus-fears
Georgia https://www.ajc.com/news/state–regional-govt–politics/georgia-delay-presidential-primary-due-coronavirus-pandemic/0vJZpHlHdPQdPEda6GtvCP/
More could be coming…
State board of elections is getting ratieod HARD for this one!
https://twitter.com/illinoissbe/status/1239598293660905473
Bad news. A judge denied the governor.
https://www.cleveland.com/open/2020/03/judge-rules-ohio-election-is-on-for-tomorrow.html
Not bad, Correcting, HOOD!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsT15qLqkAg
While trying to assure voters that the election would be fine, election director in Maricopa County steps away from podium: “I’m sorry. I can’t do this.”
https://lawandcrime.com/2020-election/tv-station-broadcasts-biden-sanders-results-day-before-election/
This one doesn’t have anything to do with coronavirus but is just an odd story that viewers might be interested in. Biden-Sanders election results go on screen the day before election during The Price Is Right. TV station claims it was a test.
https://www.wlwt.com/article/gov-dewine-health-director-orders-primary-election-polls-closed-as-health-emergency/31675123
Mixed signals in Ohio about whether they are even voting tomorrow.
https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/how-iran-became-a-new-epicenter-of-the-coronavirus-outbreak
Many coronavirus infections in Iran were traced back to their February election.
At the time of the election, officials downplayed the threat of the virus and accused those who wanted to postpone it of engaging in “voter suppression.”
Tomorrow is going to be a disaster.
They are waiving trainings, they are swearing in anybody to work as a judge, judges in Cook County report not being given disinfectants, some voters are going to be miles from polling places due to poll closures.
Why would you possibly think gathering large groups of people during a pandemic is preferable to simply postponing the primary?
The Ohio primary is off again.
The state health department shut it down.
Billy Bob and Correcting,
Thank you for the updates. Article updated (again) with the new information.
Fortunately, POLITICO is updating the same article in the link, so that is up to date, too.
Like I said when I was inspired to write about this topic, think what would happen here in Illinois if something like this happened, especially if you are a down ballot candidate or supporter/volunteer.
As Witch Hillary once said ‘what difference does it make anyway?’
After all you’ve seen in just the past few weeks of hysterical Media, Pols and your fellow Six-Pack Joe Nitwits.
Your all still convinced flipping a voting switch, is the only thing keeping you from being marched off to the cannibalism camps.
Here in ohio it is chaos.
As a poll worker going through the on again off again it was crazy.
At midnight the call came that the polls would not open.
Voter turn out was predicted to be low.
Still many poll workers refused to work because of the virus.
All of this could have been avoided with a decision made timely.
Good luck Illinois and be safe.
Maryland and Puerto Rico postponed their elections too.
Wyoming seems to be moving towards all mail, suspended the in-person caucus.