Wisconsin is set to hold in-person voting next week after the state’s legislature on Saturday declined to take up an effort delaying the presidential primary due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The state’s Republican-controlled legislature quickly ended special weekend sessions without taking action on a call by Democratic Governor Tony Evers to make Tuesday’s primary an all-mail election and extend the time to return ballots until late May.
Leaders in the legislature, which has the sole authority to delay the ballot, blasted Evers for a late reversal on holding voting and said the election, which also will decide thousands of state and local offices, must go ahead as planned. Legislators could still reconsider in the coming days.
Republicans also asked the U.S. Supreme Court to prevent the extension of Wisconsin’s deadline for absentee voting to April 13, which a federal judge had previously ordered.
Residents in the state are under orders to stay at home and public gatherings are banned because of the pandemic. Fears about infection have led to a shortage of poll workers and an explosion in requests for absentee ballots.
Scott Walker, 45th Governor of Wisconsin and President Elect of Young America’s Foundation, critiques the current governor of WI handling of this Tuesday’s primary with Dan & Amy: