The Republicans did exactly the right thing.
Republicans stalled Gov. Tony Evers’ move to push back Tuesday’s election, quickly adjourning a special legislative session to deal with voting issues in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
During Saturday’s proceedings, the state Assembly and state Senate each gaveled in and out within seconds and recessed until Monday.
Some have questioned why ten other states postponed their presidential primary but Wisconsin is going forward. Our election Tuesday is about more than helping choose the presidential nominees. We have over 3900 state, county, school and municipal elections on Tuesday. It is critically important in our system of representative democracy that citizens have the right to choose their representatives, especially during a crisis.
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As of today requests for absentee ballots are still being processed but nearly 1.3M ballots have been sent out. A reasonable estimate of voter participation for a spring election without a close presidential primary would be 1.5M. Turnout in 2016 was an all-time record at 2.1M but that included two very tight presidential primary races. In 2012 turnout was 1.1M voters without a presidential primary in doubt. The Tuesday in-person turnout is difficult to predict but if turnout at the polling places was 20% of the total we might see over 1.6M votes cast.
This is a phenomenal response and adjustment to the pandemic. To switch our election from 80% in-person to 80% by mail in just a few weeks demonstrates the flexible and adaptable nature of Wisconsin’s voting laws. It shows how a “can do” attitude by our citizens can overcome huge challenges.
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Everything is in place for our elections to go forward. Don’t let fear and panic derail our democracy. Instead let’s pull together to help ensure we minimize health risks in polling places while protecting the integrity of our elections.
The fact is that we have been dealing with the ramifications of Coronavieus for weeks now. It is not a surprise. People have been able to vote absentee in person or by mail for weeks. And if we can leave Wal Mart open, we sure as heck can have our polling places open next week – with a few precautions. Everyone who wants to vote has been able to. The turnout we are seeing falls well within normal turnout rates for this kind of election. There is no reason at all to delay our election.
Self-governance is our right and voting is how we, the people, choose our government. The election must proceed.
Excellent.
Most of electorate has voted already.
And who cares if we reduce Milwaukee’s polling places down to five. Who cares if they need to wait a few hours to vote.
So, the mini dictator of Wisconsin just postponed the election. He wants everybody to be safe.
Meanwhile, he ordered the legislature into session, exposing the legislators, their staff, reporters and others to the virus.
When they gave out brain cells, liberals didn’t want to be greedy and only asked for 5 cells.
Mar, you slay me. And sending people to the polls does what?
Evers just wants the SC on the record, too, on where they stand on the pandemic. It’ll help in future elections.
jjf, you cannot be for 1 or other.
In case this went over your head, jjf, it is being hypocritical to cancel the election because some people might get too close other people and yet call hundreds of people to gather in the Capitol building and possibly exposing those hundreds to the virus while he rests and plays in the governors mansion in Maple Bluff.
I’m sorry, I thought you were saying Evers was inappropriately risking the lives of our legislators by calling them to meet in the same room.
“hundreds”?
>Evers just wants the SC on the record, too, on where they stand on the pandemic. It’ll help in future elections.
Yep, Ever’s is on record as being incompetent. And we have two Judges that don’t understand the law and need to be voted out. Thanks for setting that in stone Guv.
“hundreds”?
It’s a moot point right since if there is a session only a few people will show up.
But if every legislator came, they would have at least 1 staffer. Then the employees of the senate and assembly would have been there. Then you have the press and spectators. I’m sure the governor would also send people. Then you have the custodians who have clean up after the hearings. They probably have pages to help out.
So, yes, hundreds could have been affected. But Evers didn’t care about them.
Which way do you want it, Mar? That Evers is risking the people at the Capitol, or that this election puts the voters at risk?
jjf, again, I am just pointing out Evers hypocrisy. He wouldn’t allow people to vote, in schools or whatever building and they would be practicing social distancing.
But he had no problem getting the hundreds of people gather in the Capitol, crowded together. In Evers tiny mind, that’s ok but not voting.
I hope you understand now.
Mar, what did the Supreme Court recently say about jury trials and in-person proceedings? Why did the legislature just gavel-in and gavel-out in seconds? So why would anyone want to have an in-person election?
Why wouldn’t you want an in person election? The polling places are going to about the safest places to go to. They will practice social distancing and disinfect the place constantly.
And who cares what the Supreme Court have to say about trials and in person hearings. That’s a different scenario but nice deflection.