Wyoming Democrats suspend in-person voting for caucuses as election officials face coronavirus fears

[RandySF]

The Wyoming Democratic Party says it is suspending the in-person part of its April 4 presidential caucuses as election officials around the country confront the risk of the novel coronavirus.

The party said on Facebook that it is also suspending all county conventions.

“Our priority is ensuring that people are healthy and safe,” party chair Joe Barbuto said in a statement.
“Holding public events right now would put that in jeopardy, so this is the responsible course of action.”

Voters are being encouraged to vote by mail, the party said, adding that, as of now, ballot drop-off locations will be open on March 28 and April 4. Mail-in ballots must be postmarked by March 20.

Louisiana leaders on Friday announced they are delaying the state’s primary until the summer, while election officials in the four states slated to hold primaries Tuesday — Arizona, Florida, Illinois and Ohio — said in a joint statement that they remain confident voters can “safely and securely cast their ballots in this election.” They encouraged “otherwise healthy” poll workers to carry out their duties.

But authorities in Maricopa County — Arizona’s most populous and home to the city of Phoenix — on Friday announced a new measure to help people vote amid coronavirus fears. County Recorder Adrian Fontes said in a statement that he has taken the “unprecedented step” of mailing ballots to “all voters that typically vote on Election Day” and who are also eligible to participate in the Tuesday Democratic primary.



https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/03/13/campaign-live-updates/

[Cha]

1. KR!

[showblue22]

2. I wonder if that is enough time for people to get their ballots by mail? nt

[onetexan]

3. Louisiana is postponing its 4/4 primary to June 20th & AZ Maricopa Cty won't allow mailing ballots

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/13/louisiana-postpones-presidential-primary-due-to-coronavirus-128514

Louisiana will postpone its presidential primary, which was originally scheduled for April 4, as part of the state government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The state is the first in the nation to postpone a primary since the outbreak of the virus. Louisiana Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin announced the contest will be delayed until June 20.
_______________________________________________________________________

Meanwhile in Arizona's Maricopa County (former Sheriff Arpaio's home town), the Republicans are again suppressing votes:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/03/13/campaign-live-updates/
"An Arizona judge on Friday blocked a county election official from mailing out ballots to all eligible voters as concerns deepen about whether the coronavirus outbreak will prevent vulnerable populations from participating in the presidential nominating contest. Arizona is one of four states with a primary scheduled for Tuesday.

Maricopa County Recorder Adrian Fontes said the move to provide ballots to people not already on an early-voting list was designed to “both enfranchise the voters and protect public health.”

But the state’s attorney general, Republican Mark Brnovich, said the county official lacked authority to send ballots to voters who had not requested them by a now-passed deadline. In a filing, the attorney general said the move risked “creating a swarm of illegal ballots and immense voter confusion.”

Superior Court judge Connie Contes granted the preliminary injunction, and Fontes said Friday evening he would have to hold back the ballots as a result.

“The ballots were at the door of the warehouse,” he said in an interview. “My job is to help voters vote. Especially in a time of a global pandemic, it’s unfortunate that politics intervened.”

The episode unfolded as Louisiana became the first state to postpone its primary, which had originally been scheduled for April 4. It is now set for June 20.

[wiley]

4. Good News

Caucases are anti-democratic and discriminatory.

[Tarheel_Dem]

5. I hope this is the last election cycle we hear the word "caucus". They are ridiculous. n/t

[JmAln]

6. I'm waiting for my Wyoming ballot now.

First post here!

The mail in ballot has boxes where you check your 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc choice. Sounds like an improvement over what they did in the past. Also, according to an email I got, you can vote in person on March 28th and April 4th, if you didn't receive a ballot. I don't quite get why there's two dates.