Wisconsin governor asks Legislature to delay primary election

[Eugene]

Source: CNN

Wisconsin governor asks Legislature to delay primary election

By Eric Bradner and Kate Sullivan, CNN
Updated 0324 GMT (1124 HKT) April 4, 2020

(CNN) — Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers on Friday signed an executive order calling the state Legislature to meet for a special session on Saturday in a last-minute bid to delay the state's primary election.

Evers, a Democrat, is ordering the Legislature to meet at 4 p.m. Central time to take up changes to the election in order to avoid voters having to go to the polls, according to a news release by the governor's office. Evers previously had resisted delaying the primary.

Republican leadership in the Wisconsin State Legislature issued a statement Friday criticizing Evers for reversing his position and said that "the election should continue as planned on Tuesday."

Evers said in the news release and a video posted to Facebook that he is asking the Legislature to allow an all-mail election, to send a ballot to every registered voter who has not already requested one by May 19 and to extend the time that ballots can be received to May 26.

"Folks, I can't move this election or change the rules on my own. My hands are tied," Evers said in the Facebook video. "And that's why I spoke to legislative leaders about this weeks ago. I even publicly called upon them to act. They have made it clear they are unwilling to make changes."

-snip-

Read more: https://edition.cnn.com/2020/04/03/politics/wisconsin-delays-election-results/index.html

[lark]

1. Repugs will vote this down, they are all trying to kill us. n/t

[denem]

2. Evers can order state employees not to open the polling places

like De Whine did in Ohio.

[The Magistrate]

3. There Is Some Slight Possibility, Sir, The Legislature May See Sense

For the people of Wisconsin, that would be the best course, but what is best for the people of Wisconsin has never been uppermost in the mind of any Republican legislator....






"When things are not called by their right names, what is said cannot make sense. When what is said does not make sense, what is planned cannot succeed. When plans do not succeed, people become uneasy. When people are uneasy, punishments do not fit crimes. When punishments do not fit crimes, people cannot know where to put hand or foot."

[Mister Ed]

4. The math is simple for the Wisconsin GOP.

There's a State Supreme Court seat to be decided in this election. Insisting on in-person voting will help the GOP win it.

Voters in the Democratic urban strongholds, where COVID-19 has already taken root, will be fearful of crowding into polling places. Voters in the Republican-dominated smaller towns and countryside, where the illness is not yet prevalent, will not be nearly as reluctant - especially if the election is held soon. So, a likely win for the GOP.

The GOP power-seekers just_don't_care how many people suffer and die - especially if it's mostly "those people".

[StevieM]

5. Yep. They are done with democracy.

That is also why this Supreme Court seat is so important to them. It lets them keep a system where they lose the election and continue govern due to gerrymandering of the state legislature and laws passed before they lost power.

[Demsrule86]

7. I am not convinced this strategy will work. The Trumpers I know are hyochondriacs and are less

likely to risk their oh so precious selves in an election. Democrats on the other hand are motivated. I would put on my mask , gloves and vote if I were in Wisconsin. Ohio will vote by mail and the primary will be over either 4-27 or 4-28...forget. I ordered my ballot. And will hand deliver it if need be.

[Demsrule86]

8. He did not wait until the last minute but went to court...the legislature won't help he knew that.

But he did get voting by mail extended which is a lifesaving thing...it is not the governors fault but the legislatures fault...don't blame Democrats for what the pugs do...hopefully many of them will be gone in November.