From the New York Times. Unlike other borrow, this is against the advice of public health officials, the wishes of its own governor Wisconsin will hold its democratic primary today in the middle of a pandemic, a steady hand on how that happened. It's Tuesday April seventh. March was always going to be one of the most consequential months of the presidential election by the time we get to

Middle of March, though, so here's what we're watching breaking NEWS Louisiana officially, can become the first state to postpone its democratic primary election over the corona virus pandemic, and it becomes clear that the corona virus global health pandemic has really up ended. The race completely after Super Tuesday states. Scheduled to vote start postponing and sometimes our cancelling their scheduled primaries. Georgia becoming the second state to delay its presidential primary Kentucky announced that they delay their contest is well hives. Governor pushed back its primary just hours before poles were set to open other states, Connecticut, Indiana and Maryland. These are all states that Sir but the public health crisis was too great for them to hold in person elections in March, but there is one state that refuses to, but

even as public health officials are urging them and states across the country have taken that drastic step. It was concept in what explains what's happening in Wisconsin, but when most people look at these presidential primaries particular state like was content. They think that this is just about the two candidates at the top Joe Biden versus Bernie Sanders and who gets the delicate out of that. But the reason why was content was holding out and keeping its primary schedule was, to do with more stay in local concerns. Initially, the crowded governor, Tony avers and state republican leaders were on the same page. They both agreed that the April seventh election should go forward and they set off a couple reasons. Not only had the

there is not really ravaged state in the same way that we have seen in other parts of the country at the end no time in March when they were making this decision but day agreed on the importance of the state and local racist that will be decided down ballot on the same day of the presidential primary. I just want to make sure people understand the complexity of our spring general Election is not a primary elections. Only approach election of the presidential or races like shit, I've seen mayors in court judges there's a particularly important Supreme Court race, that's happening in the state, and both sides agreed that filling these roles. Important for the continuance of state government. How long do we hold casually rave offices? Not feel because were into July audits, and we have held a general election

and that's why they proceeded with the primary, and I want to give credit to govern rivers. I agree with This decision to say that we are going to hold this election things that are so despite the risks of holding an in person primary in them the pandemic, despite the fact that many states are postponing these primaries, the republican and democratic officials in Wisconsin say that This is necessary for the functioning of our government right and that's the position they held for about a week. And what happens after a week, book kind of most clearly the factors around the decision change we need an all hands on deck approach to stop the spread of covered nineteen in Wisconsin. The pandemic becomes more acutely fell in the MID West and critically and was concept here is the bottom line folks need to start taking seriously. So today I am asking for your help,

and the governor issues a stay at home order, like many other governors did across the country and close, it's all non essential businesses. It's not something I wanted to do, and it's not something I'd take lightly and people across the state are starting to say. But if we can't leave our houses, how are we supposed to vote brain and what's the answer the governor and state Republicans keep holding this lie that voting with something that was so essential that the primary with something that was so important that they would try to find some workarounds that included expanding access to absentee ballots and encouraging people to use that measure? it included counties taking precautionary measures which include drive through voting more socially distance lines, but besides all of these,

creative measures there is an increasing fear, particularly among pole, workers, that the election will be unsafe for them to stand, These are people who ninety percent of them are senior citizens porkers one of the most vulnerable population to this deadly virus. And they start dropping off informing their local jurisdictions, that they don't think that I want to participate in the schedule. Election ervay from the Election Commission in the state, so that more than that you're jurisdictions cannot adequately staffed they're pulling locations because they wouldn't have the right pole workers to do so. While that becomes the first real point of pressure, to say how can this election go forward? So what do if doing, bonds to this severe shortage of poor workers, while they go back to trying to find creative workarounds. So the first thing that some

the local jurisdictions do is closed and limit their polling locations. Some of the more drastic examples include Milwaukee the biggest city state going from a hundred and eighty pulling locations, typically down to just five or seven and yet everyone still seems committed to holding this election, they were till the virus intensifies and the state and cases increase as the deaths increase. That's when you see a real shift from the governor either folks, governor rivers here and it's a big one. So today I am asking the legislature the come together to take by partisan action to ensure that Every registered border receives an absentee ballot devote in the upcoming election. He proposes a dramatic expansion in the states absentee ballot. Looking system, essentially making it a universe no vote by mail system. So I hope that the legislature will act swiftly, descend, absently

Alice to every single registered voter living in Wisconsin state would now Three point: three million eligible folders about whether they requested it or not, and that represents a real change in how kind of the electoral process would work throughout this date, where this is not republican issue or a democratic issue. This is an issue of democracy. I don't care who gets the credit. I just want to make sure that everyone has a chance to cast their balance this April thanks for watching and let's get it done folks and that's when we really see the partisan push back start what began as a democratic governor and a republican state legislature that we're bay quickly on the same page, has now devolved and to what is, by all accounts, a partisan bloodbath from the moment that even propose

is that every person would be mailed. A ballot either they last for it or not. Republicans go haywire right now, Senate Majority Leader, Scott Fitzgerald is calling this idea of fantasy. Is this problem then my biggest disappointment so far working with the administration? Since this all happen, they say that this is not only logistically. Impractical army was completely disingenuous, further Belvedere to table a video and posted as if this was reality to float the idea that they were going to find enough outer envelopes balanced stem cells, inner envelopes with first class

postage and mail. It out to three point: three million people in Wisconsin is completely made up, but also a kind of morally and democratically wrong that happen. Sometimes, I guess, if a thumb you're feeling pressure from one in your own special interests or from the party themselves, but unduly deceivers, no, that state law does not allow him to come, unilaterally make huge changes and how was cars and runs the election folks? I can't move this election a change to the rules on my own. My hands are tied. He needs the help of the legislature. It's one of the measures he tries to do is call a special session of the legislature and encourage them to delay the election and implement changes that would allow every person to be able to

without going in person. I urge legislators to take this call for a special session seriously. It does it go where the legislature gobbles an accession. This ass after their evil, twenty twenty special session of the lumpectomy of special session was then turns. On Monday April, six, in a minute later when he's devils, owl wow. This is correct, an extraordinary move by the legislature really come. There knows that the power of the executive and the governor, the biggest elected official in the state, has called them into recession and said, take up this issue and they basically star the session and ended without doing what he asked. So the reply

guns, do not grant the governor his wish for a male and bounding system right setting. Why is it that was content has so quickly erupted into really nasty partisan battle over something as seemingly basic as making sure people can vote safely in April, Relax I mean that would seem to be in everyone's by partisan interests to protect life. Right I mean Democrats and Republicans will be casting balance. It would seem as if safe food public health, would be an issue in which partisanship would be left to the side and that demand Hats and Republicans can agree on the best way to move forward, but in Wisconsin,

there is no issue in which that can be left aside. What we see is a state that has become so deeply rested by republican control that ie. In something like safe folding turn into a month and for this governor for the democratic in their tony avers. That's been clear since the day he was elected, we'll be right back. We all shop online, a lot and finding promo code. That work is an easy unless you use honey the

Browser extension, backed by Paypal, pal that scans, the internet for the best promo code and automatically Ataturk, heart cart, just download honey to your computer shop like normal click, the apply coupons button and watch the prices drop, its one huh percent free to use and installs in just a few seconds get honey for free. I join honey doc. Slash daily. That's, join honey, dot com, slash daily I'm Wendy Door and I'm an editor on the daily for me? of my adult life. I thought of the New York Times as edge I ain't news machine that spit out news stories all day, long kind of like a vending machine and I'm embarrassed to say that it wasn't really until I came to work here at the times that I started to think about the reporters behind those news stories and what it takes to get the story in the first. Sometimes these reporters risked their lives. Sometimes they talk to us at two in the morning. Sometimes they call us from a war zone and not

Do they tell us what's happening on the ground wherever they are, but they also give us the context that we need to understand it if you like ring from these reporters every day, which I know I do the work. The thing that you can do to support them and the daily is to subscribe to the New York Times. If you'd like to do that, go to and why times dot com. Slash subscribe as, and where does this political, this function that you're describing in Wisconsin where's. That start will. The state is one that is unique and its political history Who places reflect the growing political chasm in the? U S, as does the state of Wisconsin, was content? Was a united republican government under Scott Walker, Republicans, one everything in Wisconsin and two thousand tat from two thousand ten until two thousand and one the legislature are they

republican Majority in Wisconsin, and this wasn't just of republican government that past kind of conventional conservative bills this was seen as really a laboratory of conservative ideas. Governors got Walker, is the man at the centre of a bitter fight? Is cleaved Wisconsin, like a block of best chattered she ass, and so we saw a government that targeted teachers unions that sea. Power on key boards and really had a wish list of conservative ideas nationally playing out in the state. He proposed slashing spending racing, no taxes and most controversial of all sharply curtailing public employees right to collective bargaining, even as the state voted for Barack Obama twice,

public and Governor Scott Walker has won his re election bed. They tap winning her time in four years. Republican Scott Water has won a state wide election for governor. So by the time you get to two thousand, they teen major shifts happen overnight. Wisconsin voters, youve elected a Democrat as governor when Walker Lou. This is his re election bid to Tony evils. The raised was almost too close to call, but overnight democratic, Tony avers narrowly beat our GNP incumbents got Walker, denying him a third term, the in the state legislature have already learned a lesson from the years prior, that's more important to wield power. Then it is to be seen as a political compromise.

So how does that play out when all of a sudden there is a democratic governor in every who, I assume, wants to start make compromises with the republican legislature. The Republicans make clear that that is not what there scooter Republican stung by their losses in the mid terms are moving forward with last ditch efforts to hang on to power. It's happening in at least two swings dates with constant and Michigan. The country is really watching this as law makers here and was gone and work through the night to amend and vote on a number of bales, our Josh Briars below in a special session that happens before even takes office. Republicans do a kind of classic power grab. Wisconsin's Republican, controlled legislature passed a series of bills late Wednesday night that would limit the powers

the incoming democratic governor Tony every day pass a number of bills that limit the power of the incoming democratic governor and take away things that were available to his republican predecessor. Dislodge another bills would put law makers in charge of litigation which would fact of Lee Block Incoming democratic covenant. Tony ever and the democratic attorney General Elect from withdrawing the state from a lawsuit to overturn Obama care. So every could not have the power to make the appointments and another bill would require the governor to get permission from the lead later to ban dont even would not have the power to regulate guns in the same way that existed for his predecessor. They also limit early voting, which is a kind of tool of access to the ballot box. That is sometimes

helps Democrats because more people in bigger areas can get to the poles. These were all really nakedly, partisan and Republicans didn't really even try to hide it. We don't want to usurp his power. That's never been our goal and our goal just a guarantee that we have an opportunity to sit at the table. Negotiate. It would fairly. It puts us on an equal playing field as the legislature, and I think that is a positive step for the state was going. So that is the political backdrop. Your sang for this current battle over how to hold a primary in the middle of a pandemic yeah. It is that sense of bath formation, the sense of rightness them publicans enter end avers administration with, and it allows them to openly flout. The typical means, a political pressure that the governor try

to put on them around the election the legislature. They came in the gavel, then for about ten seconds gavel about and they moved on, and they said that was not a serious proposal instead of the time for proposals like that worth several weeks ago, when the crisis began. So what happens after that special session that minute long special session about the election will there's been ignored get him out of legal legislation that has surrounded all of this political action. Some going on here at the state today, let's break down and give you a brief summary of what happened today, cause it's been a while day politically there was a court ruling that basically affirmed that too

public hands, probably have control over win. The elections should be held, but the really expanded access to absent evolving. Republicans appeal that straight to the: U S Supreme Court, to postpone the Tuesday primary meaning the election will go on is issuing executive order pushing back the spring election from tomorrow. To June nine warning governor Tony avers issued an executive order to postpone tomorrow's election due to covered nineteen concerns. The bottom line is that I have an obligation to keep people safe. The governor makes his most drastic step unilaterally pole pony tuesdays election until June, claiming the he asked the emergency power to do so. This is a front to the Republicans Republican. The slayers mounted a legal challenge immediately, and they immediately initiate emergency legislation going straight to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, saying that

it does not have the right to do this and just about an hour ago the state report issued its ruling, saying that indeed the election will happen tomorrow. Can the court agree with them ruling hours later- that the government did not have the power to postpone the Tuesday primary. Meaning the election will go on in person today. You know I am struck by the fact that earlier on, you told us that Democrats and Republicans in the state they basically by on the same page, about this primary until the virus gets worse and the governor advocates for a different kind of voting says, through absentee balance and then in all breaks down and Republicans are attempting at every turn, to block him now in court How do you explain? How do Republicans in the state legislature explain

republican County chairs and folks in the state legislature say a couple of things. The first is that their position hasn't changed They talked a governor, didn't have the power, then they don't think he asked the power now to change how the election is run. The other point is that they see was constant again as a micro. Some of the conservative fight that could happen largely, and what could be a new reality of how America actions are run in this. And era, and in that view terms, equally expanding the electorate in these ways are not something that applicants are all that keen on but their worried about is an action in which people who may now have participated aiming not have come out all of a sudden have the opportunity to do so and to cast about it.

And that kind of change is the centre of power within the state. When you mean if people parted the pay indifferent numbers in bigger numbers if it changes the type of people who want to participate in the spring. The election that's not necessarily always seen the biggest turn out that shit. Just who can win and who has benefited from the systems in the past and who might better if they were to change along the lines of what governor avers is asking for hard to say exactly because we're talking about an unprecedented situation, but we do know that the people who are typically benefited Early voting from early registration from online registration or vote by mail or people who really dont participate in the process. Younger voters, minority voters, p, that lean democratic and just in the ways that Republicans

It'd early voting and that special session they had after every one, it's the same thought process that when more people get involved, when people who typically sit out get involved that helps Democrats, do Democrats acknowledge that an absentee bounding system- that is suddenly much more widespread than it has been in the past would be advantageous to them in Wisconsin lay principally try to appeal to voters using small D. Democratic ideals, the general basic American principle- that everyone should be given easier access to vote. They try to appeal the people. Do public health measures, How unsafe it is for people to gather apples. But when you ask folks and democratic circles, they know that when the Elect it expands, particularly in national state, wide elections? That's usually, good news for Democrats,

I think that this is not just a debate about how to vote in a pandemic, although clearly that's what striving. A lot of this in the background from what you're saying is this other question, which is the systems needed to vote during a pandemic? Fundamentally change who votes, how many people vote and which party wins exactly is not just about public health, is about access to power and the kind of most basic fundamental principles of democracy. If the system we have been traditionally used to tat, hold what replaces it and we seem real resistance to that in this day. And we may see that resistance all across the country Why would you say that? Because it's very tempting, to see the story as a knob right in that

the governor of Wisconsin waited a very long time to try to postpone the states primary press, tool and the state legislature is this hyper partisan conservative activist body, that is trying to use its power for political events, so all those factors would seemed to make Wisconsin a bit of an outlier. Oh, what may seem like an anomaly right now might actually just be a pacesetter, and this could be a preview as to what comes for state after state if you are a place like Georgia the Louisiana or Ohio that its functional deleted?

election by three four weeks, and if this virus persist to that time, there will still be questions about whether it is safe to hold in person balloting. Then night, When those questions come and the remedies are proposed weather, Its own line, or or by mail or the like these same struggles of power will persist and we will see. Factions emerge that question whether the new systems are fair and who politically benefits from the distant. Thank you very much thank you on Monday night, the? U S, Supreme Court, sided with republic.

Makers in Wisconsin who had opposed exe Ending the deadline for absentee ballots entities election in a five to four ruling, the ports. Conservative justices road that such An extension called for mentally alters the nature of the election and said that. All absentee ballot must be postmarked by aid. P m Tuesday night pools in Wisconsin schedule to open at seven a m this morning, but its unclear. How many? all workers will show up how many polling stations will be open and what kind of protection will be in place to the spread of the corona virus during person voting. Meanwhile, the virus continues to spread across Wisconsin. As of Monday, the state reported newly twenty five hundred

infections and seventy seven deaths will re back. Don't put your help on pause just because your lifestyle is changed, whether you're trying to lose those last few pounds or simply said smarter and have more energy throughout the day. Numerous here to help backed by science, new shows you the why, behind your decisions and habits and gives you the tools to change them, plus you daily, thus of self cared Only ten minutes a day take the first step visit noon, Doc, slash daily to start your trial. Today, that's new and.

Oh, oh, am dot com, slash daily here's what else you need today we also want or send best wishes to very good friend of mine and a friend Our nation Prime Minister, Burst Johnson, we're very soon. To hear that he was taken into intensive care this afternoon, a little while ago, on Monday British prime minister, Boris Johnson, who tested positive for covert nineteen ten days ago was moved into the intensive care unit of a London hospital after his condition worsened Americans are, will pray for you. Cover has been a really good friend, he's been really something very special: strong, resolute doesn't quit, doesn't give up

a statement Johnson insisted he remained in charge of the british government, but said he had deputized his foreign minister to act in his place when necessary. Meanwhile, IRAN and at the centre of the virus in the Middle EAST said it would if a nation wide shut down of businesses allow the majority of its workforce to return to work later this week as cod Ambrose tests mean GDP, should carry any peace nod motor Detestably, but I've gotta get if care as. Iran's President Hassan, who haughty said it was important for economic activity tourist Oh, yes, the thirty eight care, a modest spite fears that it could need to greater levels of infection that forced on us sham babies. George.

Sing a yegg far earlier to hold you should all possible, and in the U S, the death toll surpassed. Ten thousand people and congressional heaters began Tom. About a second economic relief package that how Speaker Nancy Policy predicted could cost more than one trillion dollars that's it for the daily, unlike other by cinema,. This episode of the railway is supported by the new Showtime original series: penny dreadful city of angels when a gruesome

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