Here are the states that postponed their primaries due to coronavirus
Multiple states have postponed their primaries due to the coronavirus pandemic, which has significantly altered the daily lives of Americans.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that no gatherings with 50 people or more take place for the next eight weeks to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. The next day, the White House advised all Americans to avoid groups of more than 10 and urged older people to stay at home altogether in a set of new guidelines.
This has affected some states’ plans for their primaries and caucuses. Here are the states and territories changing their plans due to coronavirus:
Alaska
The Alaska Democratic Party moved its party-run primary to entirely vote-by-mail, getting rid of in-person voting.
“All in-person voting across the state originally scheduled for April 4 has been canceled in favor of a more extensive vote-by-mail process approved unanimously by the Alaska Democratic Party Executive Committee,” a Facebook post by Alaska Democrats read. The deadline to vote by mail was extended from March 24 to April 10.
The Alaska Republican Party said its Republican state convention, which is scheduled to take place from April 2 to April 4, would convene electronically.
“In light of recent announcements from Governor Mike Dunleavy, Dr. Anne Zink, and changing CDC advice about the COVID19 virus, the Alaska Republican Party State Central Committee meeting will convene electronically as scheduled on April 2,” a statement from Alaska Republicans read. “Thereafter, beginning on April 3, the State Convention will convene electronically.”
Connecticut
Connecticut moved its primary from April 28 to June 2.
“In coordination with other states and our Secretary of the State, and in an effort to carry out Democracy while keeping public health a top priority, I have decided to move our presidential primary to June 2nd,” Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont said in a tweet.
Delaware
Democratic Delaware Gov. John Carney announced that he had modified his State of Emergency Declaration to delay the state’s primary from April 28 to June 2.
“Delawareans have a basic, fundamental right to vote. Today’s order will preserve that right and allow Delawareans to vote by absentee ballot in the presidential primary on June 2,” Carney said in a statement.
Georgia
Georgia moved its primary from March 24 to May 19.
Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a Republican, said in a statement that coronavirus has increased the risks to voters and poll workers with in-person voting.
“Governor (Brian) Kemp has declared a public health emergency. President (Donald) Trump has declared a national emergency,” Raffensperger said. “Events are moving rapidly and my highest priority is protecting the health of our poll workers, their families, and the community at large.”
Hawaii
The Democratic Party of Hawaii said in-person voting on April 4 has been canceled and that the primary will be conducted by mail-in ballots.
“Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, on-site same-day voting on April 4th has been cancelled. Instead the Party will send a third mailing of ballots out. … The mail-ballot return deadline is May 22, 2020. Results will be tabulated and released on May 23, 2020,” a statement from the Democratic Party of Hawaii reads.
Indiana
Indiana moved its primary from May 5 to June 2.
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb, a Republican, signed an executive order rescheduling the state’s primary election to June.
“The right of citizens to elect their leaders in a free and open election is one of the cornerstones of America. In order to balance that right with the safety of county employees, poll workers and voters, delaying Indiana’s primary election is the right move as we continue to do all we can to protect Hoosiers’ health,” Holcomb said in a statement.
Kentucky
Kentucky moved its primary from May 19 to June 23.
Secretary of State Michael Adams said the state’s primary election would be postponed.
“Today, Governor (Andy) Beshear and I agreed to delay the primary election originally scheduled for May 19 to June 23,” Adams said in a video posted to Twitter.
Louisiana
Louisiana was the first state to postpone its presidential primary. It was moved from April 4 to June 20.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards, a Democrat, signed an executive order that would postpone the state’s upcoming elections, including its presidential primary.
“The reasons include taking into account the older age of the majority of precinct volunteers and workers, and the need to reduce public contact, and also to allow maximum participation by all voters, regardless of their age and their health conditions,” Edwards said at a news conference in New Orleans.
Maryland
Maryland moved its primary from April 28 to June 2, Maryland Republican Gov. Larry Hogan said.
“While there are many valid reasons for unease and uncertainty right now, ensuring that the voices of Maryland citizens are heard shouldn’t be one of them,” Hogan, a Republican, said at a news conference.
Additionally, Hogan said the special election to the fill the congressional seat of late Rep. Elijah Cummings will be held via vote by mail only.
New York
New York moved its primary from April 28 to June 23, Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo said, citing coronavirus fears.
“I don’t think it’s wise to be bringing a lot of people to one location to vote,” Cuomo said during a news conference.
As of late March, New York state was the epicenter of the American coronavirus outbreak. More than 52,000 people had been confirmed to have Covid-19 across the state as of March 28, the governor said, and the state had tested 155,934 people.
Ohio
The Ohio state legislature passed legislation extending mail-in voting in the state’s primary to April 28, and Gov. Mike DeWine signed it into law.
The legislation reads, “the Secretary of State shall send a postcard to each registered elector in this state, notifying the elector of the methods by which the elector may obtain an application for absent voter’s ballots, the procedures and deadlines to apply for absent voter’s ballots under this section, and the procedures and deadline to return voted ballots to the office of the board of elections under this section.”
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose issued a statement saying he advocated for a different plan, and that it was “disappointing” that the state legislature has “chosen to significantly reduce the time provided for Ohio to bring this primary to a close.”
“The proposal that Governor DeWine, Lt. Governor Husted and I laid out was preferable, and unlike the plan enacted today, our proposal would have concluded the election by putting a ballot request directly in the hands of every voter along with a postage-paid return envelope,” LaRose said.
Uncertainty has surrounded the status of Ohio’s primary election. The day before the primary, which was initially scheduled for March 17, DeWine requested that a court move the election to June because of the pandemic. A judge denied DeWine’s request. Then, the governor said Ohio Health Director Amy Acton would order the polls closed because of a health emergency. The following morning, Ohio’s Supreme Court rejected a challenge to the poll closure by a candidate for a county judgeship.
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, signed a bill to move the presidential primary election from April 28 to June 2.
“Notwithstanding Section 603 or any law of this commonwealth, the General Primary Election shall occur throughout this Commonwealth on June 2, 2020,” the bill reads.
Puerto Rico
The Democratic Party of Puerto Rico postponed its primary a second time, to a date that will be determined later.
Puerto Rico Gov. Wanda Vázquez, of the New Progressive Party, initially signed legislation to move the primary, which had been scheduled for March 29, to the end of April. The measure included language to move the date again if the state of emergency continued.
“If … the state of emergency caused by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) continues, the Chairman of the Democratic Party of Puerto Rico, in consultation with the President of the State Commission on Elections, is hereby authorized to select an alternate date for the holding of the Democratic Party Presidential Primary in 2020, that is consistent with the Democratic Party delegate selection rules and regulations,” it read.
Rhode Island
Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo, a Democrat, signed an executive order moving the Democratic and Republican presidential primary elections from April 28 to June 2. The order said the state board of elections would determine a “predominantly mail ballot” primary.
“The Rhode Island Department of Health shall advise the Board on any public health concerns that may arise with respect to voting practices involving person-to-person contact,” the order read.
West Virginia
West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice, a Republican, said he is moving the state’s primary election from May 12 to June 9.
“I truly support…the ability for all of our citizens to be able to vote and to be able to vote in a way that they’ve always voted. You know, we’ve voted in wartime and in peace and in absolute, you know, tough situations and everything. We’ve got, especially our seniors, that value, the treasure of being able to vote,” Justice said.
Wyoming
The Wyoming Democratic Party said it would conduct its presidential preference caucus entirely by mail.
“All WyoDems who were registered by March 20 were automatically sent a ballot in the mail, to the address on their voter registration. The deadline to request a replacement ballot was March 31, 2020,” a statement from the party reads. “Ballots must be mailed back to WDP (postage paid envelope is included) and received by April 17, 2020. Ballots received after April 17 will not be tabulated.”
The Wyoming Democratic Party said counties would hold delegate elections and conventions electronically no later than May 24.
This story will be updated as additional postponements are announced.