News

Wisconsin Primary Goes On As Planned After Conservative Court Blocks Order Postponing Election

Wisconsin voters will have to cast their ballots today after the state Supreme Court blocked Democratic Gov. Tony Evers‘ executive order to postpone the election until June due to concerns over the coronavirus.

“Thousands will wake up and have to choose between exercising their right to vote and staying healthy and safe,” Evers said in a statement after the court ruled against delaying the election. “In this time of historic crisis, it is a shame that two branches of government in this state chose to pass the buck instead of taking responsibility for the health and safety of the people we were elected to serve.”

Evers initially hesitated to use an executive order to delay the primary, but changed his mind Monday because he was advised by experts that there was “not a sufficiently safe way to administer in-person voting.”

“I cannot in good conscience allow any types of gathering that would further the spread of this disease and to put more lives at risk,” Evers said after signing the order. “I have been advised by public health experts at the Department of Health Services that despite the heroic efforts and good work of our local election officials, poll workers, and national guard troops, there is not a sufficiently safe way to administer in-person voting tomorrow.”

Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter!

A week of political news in your in-box.
We find the news you need to know, so you don't have to.

Wisconsin currently has over 2,000 reported COVID-19 cases and 83 related deaths, the majority of which are in Milwaukee.

Evers issued a “stay at home” order at the end of March to slow the spread of the virus — an order that will largely have to go ignored today if residents wish to vote in-person.

The order was a test of the governor’s power against its GOP-controlled judicial system, and several Republicans resented the prospect of the Democratic governor wielding that much power.

“The state’s highest court has spoken: the governor can’t unilaterally move the date of the election,” the state’s Republican legislative leaders, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, said in a joint statement.

CORONAVIRUS FAQ: WIKI OF MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 

Shortly after the Wisconsin ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court reversed a lower court decision that had given voters an additional six days to cast absentee ballots. The decision, which applies to Wisconsin, states only ballots postmarked by Tuesday and arriving by April 13 will be counted.

 

Katherine Huggins

Recent Posts

Trump Signs Executive Order Stripping Funding For Voice Of America, Accusing It Of Being ‘Anti-Trump’

President Donald Trump signed an executive order last week to strip federally funded news organization Voice of…

2 hours ago

After Trump Is Caught Thanking Chief Justice Roberts, President Attacks ‘Sleazebag’ Critics Who Said It Was For Immunity Decision

President Donald Trump addressed speculation about his comments to Chief Justice John Roberts after he…

17 hours ago

VIDEO: Musk Attends Pentagon Meeting After Report He Would Be Briefed Top-Secret War Plan For China, Raising Ethics Concerns

https://youtu.be/w9WkLlHhn_w Elon Musk visited Department of Defense officials at the Pentagon on Friday. Leaked information…

19 hours ago

Trump Administration Set To Scrap Guantánamo Immigrant Detention Plan After Cost Spirals To $249,000 Per Inmate

In late January, President Donald Trump announced a plan that would detain tens of thousands…

21 hours ago

Conservative Podcaster Ben Shapiro Calls On Trump To Pardon Derek Chauvin, Police Officer Convicted Of Killing George Floyd

Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro called on President Donald Trump to pardon ex-Minneapolis police officer Derek…

23 hours ago

Trump’s Vow For Retribution At Justice Department Alarms Ethics Experts

In a campaign-style speech at the Department of Justice on Friday, President Donald Trump outlined his vision…

2 days ago