After losing at the court level, on Monday night Ohio GOP Governor Mike DeWine got his state health chief to mandate that the state primary be delayed until early June due to public health reasons regarding the coronavirus. There is still some question whether the State Board of Elections will abide by the health chief’s decision, leaving Ohioans up in the air regarding primary Election Day.
On his decision, DeWine said, “During this time when we face an unprecedented public health crisis, to conduct an election tomorrow would would force poll workers and voters to place themselves at an unacceptable health risk of contracting coronavirus. As such, Health Director Dr. Amy Acton will order the polls closed as a health emergency. 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.”
That leaves the Arizona, Florida, and Illinois primaries still to take place on Tuesday.
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As the coronavirus seriously targets senior citizens, that could mean they turnout at a lower rate than usual at the polls. This could help Bernie Sanders, who does well with youth, and hurt Joe Biden, who does well with those 55 and older.
The effect of the delay in Ohio is hard to exactly call, as the race will take on the shape of the national momentum in June. But Biden is a good bet there, regardless of the delay. Sanders, though, cannot be counted out just yet.
Arizona is being fought over hard by both the Biden and Sanders camps. Sanders has done well in the West but Arizona voters of both parties lean right. Advantage Biden. Florida, given the kind words Sanders had for Castro, is all Biden. Illinois, with its large urban and leftist vote, could swing either way. Obama has not endorsed anyone, much to Biden’s dismay. It’s a jump ball with a slight advantage to Biden.
This piece was written by PoliZette Staff on March 17, 2020. It originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.
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