Evers calls for special session to shift to all-mail spring election
Updated with comments from Republican legislative leaders
Days away from the April 7 spring election, Gov. Tony Evers called on the Legislature Friday to convene a special session Saturday to shift to an “all-mail election” to avoid the further spread of COVID-19.
He wants a ballot sent to every registered voter who has not already requested one by May 19 and to extend the deadline for them to be received to May 26.
Evers’ request comes after leaders in Milwaukee and other municipalities announced they are reducing the number of polling places due to a lack of volunteers, leading to potentially larger crowds at the locations that remain open.
He also pointed to a growing number of confirmed cases in the southeastern part of the state. Milwaukee County officials reported 24 deaths and 1,023 positive tests as of Friday.
“This is a significant concern and a very unnecessary public health risk,” Evers said Friday during a call with reporters.
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, and Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, said in a joint statement that the election should continue as planned on Tuesday.
“Hundreds of thousands of workers are going to their jobs every day, serving in essential roles in our society,” they said in a statement. “There’s no question that an election is just as important as getting take-out food. Our Republic must continue to function, and the many local government positions on the ballot must be filled so that municipalities can swiftly respond to the crisis at hand.”
State officials reported 186 new positive cases of COVID-19 Friday, bringing the total to 1,916 positive tests. They reported six new deaths, bringing the total to 37. There have been 22,377 negative tests.
The deaths include a Dane County male in his 80s, two Milwaukee County females in their 70s and 80s, a Milwaukee County male in his 70s, an Ozaukee County male in his 70s and an Ozaukee County female in her 90s. Positive cases were reported for the first time in Rusk and Barron counties, Department of Health Services Secretary-designee Andrea Palm told reporters.
Dr. Ryan Westergaard, chief medical officer of the Bureau of Communicable Diseases at the Department of Health Services, said it’s promising that the number of new cases in the state has not yet started increasing at the exponential rates that have been seen in some parts of the country. He said the state is not yet “out of the woods,” but it’s a sign that social distancing measures are having an impact.
“It’s a glimmer of hope that what we are doing is actually making a difference,” he said.
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