Gov. Evers Suspends In-Person Voting, Calls Legislature into Special Session on April 7 Election
MADISON – Gov. Tony Evers, in the absence of legislative action, today signed Executive Order #74, suspending in-person voting for the April 7 spring election, moving in-person voting to June 9, 2020. The order also directs the Legislature to meet in special session on Tues., April 7, 2020 to address the election date. If the Legislature does not enact legislation to change the new election date, in-person voting will occur on June 9, 2020.
“Today, I signed an executive order suspending in-person voting for tomorrow’s election. Frankly, there’s no good answer to this problem—I wish it were easy. I have been asking everyone to do their part to help keep our families, our neighbors, and our communities safe, and I had hoped that the Legislature would do its part—just as the rest of us are—to help keep people healthy and safe,” said Gov. Evers. “But as municipalities are consolidating polling locations, and absent legislative or court action, I cannot in good conscience stand by and do nothing. The bottom line is that I have an obligation to keep people safe, and that’s why I signed this executive order today.”
All ballots already cast in the 2020 Spring election will remain valid and will be tallied in conjunction with the new in-person voting date.
Executive Order #74 is available here.
The governor previously signed Executive Order #73 calling the Legislature to meet in a special session to send a ballot to every registered voter, allow an all-mail election, and extend the time for those ballots to be received and counted. The Legislature did not take up these changes in special session. Gov. Evers also proposed legislation that had several provisions aimed at making voting easier and more accessible during the public health emergency. A brief summary of that legislation is available here for review. Additionally, Gov. Evers called for the Legislature to act on this issue in a video, available here.
More about the 2020 Spring Primary
- Why Don Natzke Couldn’t Vote - Enjoyiana Nururdin - Aug 9th, 2020
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report highlights public health measures taken by the Milwaukee Health and Fire Departments, Department of Administration, Election Commission, and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services - City of Milwaukee Health Department - Aug 4th, 2020
- CDC Says Election Did Not Cause COVID-19 Spike - Erik Gunn - Aug 4th, 2020
- Pandemic Reduced Black Vote, Study Finds - Dee J. Hall - Jun 25th, 2020
- Did April Election Hike COVID-19 Cases? - Alana Watson - May 20th, 2020
- Elections Commission Notes ‘Lessons Learned’ - Henry Redman - May 19th, 2020
- Wisconsin Elections News: WEC Releases Analysis of Absentee Voting in April 7 Spring Election - Wisconsin Elections Commission - May 18th, 2020
- Election’s Impact on County’s COVID-19 Cases Unclear - Jeramey Jannene - May 6th, 2020
- Why State’s Voting By Mail Was Chaotic - Daniel C. Vock - May 4th, 2020
- At Least 40 COVID-19 Cases Tied to Election in Milwaukee - Graham Kilmer - Apr 24th, 2020
Read more about 2020 Spring Primary here
More about the Coronavirus Pandemic
- WI Daily: 539 New COVID-19 Cases - Urban Milwaukee - Mar 3rd, 2021
- City Aims To Vaccinate Every Educator In Two Weeks - Graham Kilmer - Mar 3rd, 2021
- NEW: Senator Johnson Plans to Delay COVID Relief Through Senate Stunt - Opportunity Wisconsin - Mar 3rd, 2021
- Evers Says Schools May Need Summer Classes - Shawn Johnson - Mar 3rd, 2021
- City Hires Private Firm To Track COVID-19 Violations - Graham Kilmer - Mar 3rd, 2021
- Racine Prison Quarantines Entire Housing Unit - Isiah Holmes - Mar 3rd, 2021
- WI Daily: 324 New COVID-19 Cases - Urban Milwaukee - Mar 2nd, 2021
- 34 Vaccine Doses Spoil at Wisconsin Center - Jeramey Jannene - Mar 2nd, 2021
- 8.7% of State Now Fully Vaccinated - Graham Kilmer - Mar 2nd, 2021
- Statement from the Milwaukee Health Department - City of Milwaukee Health Department - Mar 2nd, 2021
Read more about Coronavirus Pandemic here
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