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| Ohio’s Governor Postpones Primary as Health Emergency Is Declared Over Virus | Ohio’s Governor Postpones Primary as Health Emergency Is Declared Over Virus |
| (about 13 hours later) | |
| Ohio’s governor on Monday night said he and top state health officials would ignore a court ruling and postpone Ohio’s presidential primary by declaring a public health emergency because of the coronavirus outbreak. | Ohio’s governor on Monday night said he and top state health officials would ignore a court ruling and postpone Ohio’s presidential primary by declaring a public health emergency because of the coronavirus outbreak. |
| The governor, Mike DeWine, said that the state’s health director, Dr. Amy Acton, had issued the order based on concerns that the coronavirus outbreak placed both voters and poll workers in potential danger. | The governor, Mike DeWine, said that the state’s health director, Dr. Amy Acton, had issued the order based on concerns that the coronavirus outbreak placed both voters and poll workers in potential danger. |
| His announcement came just hours after Judge Richard A. Frye of the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas rejected the state’s request to push back voting to June 2. | His announcement came just hours after Judge Richard A. Frye of the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas rejected the state’s request to push back voting to June 2. |
| Early Tuesday morning, four members of the Ohio Supreme Court backed the decision to shut down the polls, rejecting a challenge filed by Corey Speweik, a judicial candidate in Wood County, near Toledo. | |
| “During this time when we face an unprecedented public health crisis, to conduct an election tomorrow would force poll workers and voters to place themselves at an unacceptable health risk of contracting coronavirus,” Mr. DeWine, a Republican, said Monday night on Twitter. | |
| He added: “While the polls will be closed tomorrow, Secretary of State Frank LaRose will seek a remedy through the courts to extend voting options so that every voter who wants to vote will be granted that opportunity.” | He added: “While the polls will be closed tomorrow, Secretary of State Frank LaRose will seek a remedy through the courts to extend voting options so that every voter who wants to vote will be granted that opportunity.” |
| Ohio was one of four states scheduled to vote on Tuesday. The other three — Arizona, Illinois and Florida — said that they planned to proceed with their elections while taking additional health precautions. | Ohio was one of four states scheduled to vote on Tuesday. The other three — Arizona, Illinois and Florida — said that they planned to proceed with their elections while taking additional health precautions. |
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| Officials in Ohio had said as recently as Sunday that they would go forward with primary voting, but Mr. DeWine indicated that they had become increasingly worried about the safety of polling sites after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned against gatherings of 50 or more people. | |
| By Monday afternoon, Mr. DeWine said he wanted the primary pushed back but did not have the authority to unilaterally delay the election and that a lawsuit would be filed to move the vote. On Monday evening, Judge Frye rejected the request. | By Monday afternoon, Mr. DeWine said he wanted the primary pushed back but did not have the authority to unilaterally delay the election and that a lawsuit would be filed to move the vote. On Monday evening, Judge Frye rejected the request. |
| Dan Tierney, a spokesman for the governor, said Mr. LaRose would seek through the courts to have another date set for in-person voting in Ohio. | Dan Tierney, a spokesman for the governor, said Mr. LaRose would seek through the courts to have another date set for in-person voting in Ohio. |
| Elections officials in the three other states scheduled to vote on Tuesday gave a range of reasons that they were pressing ahead. | Elections officials in the three other states scheduled to vote on Tuesday gave a range of reasons that they were pressing ahead. |
| “We are fortunate to have numerous options in Florida to cast our ballots safely and securely,” Laurel Lee, the secretary of state, said at a news conference. She added that more than two million ballots had already been cast through early in-person voting and vote by mail. | “We are fortunate to have numerous options in Florida to cast our ballots safely and securely,” Laurel Lee, the secretary of state, said at a news conference. She added that more than two million ballots had already been cast through early in-person voting and vote by mail. |
| Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida added that he was committed to holding the elections, saying, “The fact of the matter is, these things can be done in a way where you’re not going to have crowds.” | Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida added that he was committed to holding the elections, saying, “The fact of the matter is, these things can be done in a way where you’re not going to have crowds.” |
| In Arizona, the state Democratic Party was seeing huge turnout in the form of early mail-in ballots, said Matt Grodsky, a party spokesman. “We believe that delaying the election would cause undue chaos to this election process,” he said. | In Arizona, the state Democratic Party was seeing huge turnout in the form of early mail-in ballots, said Matt Grodsky, a party spokesman. “We believe that delaying the election would cause undue chaos to this election process,” he said. |
| Katie Hobbs, Arizona’s secretary of state, said that “we have no guarantee that there will be a safer time to hold this election in the near future,” adding, “The longer we wait, the more difficult and dangerous it could become.” | Katie Hobbs, Arizona’s secretary of state, said that “we have no guarantee that there will be a safer time to hold this election in the near future,” adding, “The longer we wait, the more difficult and dangerous it could become.” |
| Kentucky, by contrast, announced on Monday that it was delaying its primary from May 19 to June 23. The announcement was made by Kentucky’s secretary of state, Michael G. Adams, in a video statement on Twitter. | Kentucky, by contrast, announced on Monday that it was delaying its primary from May 19 to June 23. The announcement was made by Kentucky’s secretary of state, Michael G. Adams, in a video statement on Twitter. |
| “Postponing the primary was not an easy decision, but the Republican secretary of state and Democratic governor agreed, and so do county clerks from both parties,” Mr. Adams said. “My hope is that this delay will allow us to have a normal election. Even if not, this delay will allow me, the state board of elections and our county clerks time to assess what changes we must make to ensure a successful primary election.” | “Postponing the primary was not an easy decision, but the Republican secretary of state and Democratic governor agreed, and so do county clerks from both parties,” Mr. Adams said. “My hope is that this delay will allow us to have a normal election. Even if not, this delay will allow me, the state board of elections and our county clerks time to assess what changes we must make to ensure a successful primary election.” |
| The proposed new date for the Kentucky primary, June 23, would fall outside the June 9 deadline set by the Democratic National Committee to hold all nominating contests, and could result in a loss of delegates. | The proposed new date for the Kentucky primary, June 23, would fall outside the June 9 deadline set by the Democratic National Committee to hold all nominating contests, and could result in a loss of delegates. |
| The moves to postpone elections on Monday came days after elections officials in Louisiana and then Georgia said they would push back their upcoming primary elections in response to the outbreak. On Friday, Louisiana announced that its April 4 election would be postponed by more than two months, to June 20; Georgia followed suit a day later, saying it would reschedule its March 24 contest for May 19. | The moves to postpone elections on Monday came days after elections officials in Louisiana and then Georgia said they would push back their upcoming primary elections in response to the outbreak. On Friday, Louisiana announced that its April 4 election would be postponed by more than two months, to June 20; Georgia followed suit a day later, saying it would reschedule its March 24 contest for May 19. |
| Kate Bedingfield, deputy campaign manager for former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., said in a statement after Mr. DeWine’s afternoon announcement, “We will follow the guidance offered by state public health officials for how to best ensure their populations are looked after while encouraging participation in our democracy.” Senator Bernie Sanders’s campaign declined to comment. | Kate Bedingfield, deputy campaign manager for former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., said in a statement after Mr. DeWine’s afternoon announcement, “We will follow the guidance offered by state public health officials for how to best ensure their populations are looked after while encouraging participation in our democracy.” Senator Bernie Sanders’s campaign declined to comment. |
| The developments in Ohio added yet another logistical speed bump to a presidential primary that has already been upended by concerns that voting could worsen a public health crisis. | The developments in Ohio added yet another logistical speed bump to a presidential primary that has already been upended by concerns that voting could worsen a public health crisis. |
| Several other states have said they were changing or considering making changes to their voting processes and procedures in response to the outbreak. Wyoming suspended the in-person portion of its Democratic caucuses, allowing residents to either vote by mail or drop off their ballots at a county polling location instead. | Several other states have said they were changing or considering making changes to their voting processes and procedures in response to the outbreak. Wyoming suspended the in-person portion of its Democratic caucuses, allowing residents to either vote by mail or drop off their ballots at a county polling location instead. |
| Postponements are highly unusual in American political campaigns, but not entirely unprecedented. States have broad autonomy to shape various aspects of their primary elections, including determining the timing. | Postponements are highly unusual in American political campaigns, but not entirely unprecedented. States have broad autonomy to shape various aspects of their primary elections, including determining the timing. |
| Reporting was contributed by Matt Stevens, Maggie Astor, Shane Goldmacher, Patricia Mazzei and Jennifer Medina. | Reporting was contributed by Matt Stevens, Maggie Astor, Shane Goldmacher, Patricia Mazzei and Jennifer Medina. |