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Welcome to the Tuesday, March 31, Brew. Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day:
- Coronavirus Update: Arkansas holds primary runoff elections today
- Wisconsin to hold state supreme court election, presidential primary April 7
- Candidates and the Effects of COVID-19
Updates on stories related to the coronavirus outbreak are current through Monday afternoon. Click here for the latest news.
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Coronavirus Update: Arkansas holds primary runoff elections today
We’ve been tracking states that have postponed or changed election dates in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Twenty-one states have announced changes to statewide primary, general election, or municipal election dates. With so many changes in the world of elections, it can seem like every election has been postponed.
Today, Arkansas is holding primary runoffs as previously scheduled. Conversely, Alabama and Mississippi both postponed today’s primary runoff elections in response to the coronavirus outbreak. Arkansas election officials say hand sanitizer will be available at polling locations and touch screens will be cleaned regularly.
Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson (R) said March 13 the state would not postpone the runoffs. "There are no plans to [postpone] any elections. The runoff elections and the special elections should proceed under Department of Health and [U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] guidance on how to best staff polling locations." There are no provisions in the Arkansas code allowing local officials to postpone or cancel elections.
Secretary of State John Thurston (R) issued a press release March 18 confirming that the runoffs would proceed as scheduled and early voting would open on March 24. Thurston said, "Due to the ongoing precautions being taken in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the [Arkansas State Board of Election Commissioners] recommended notifying eligible voters of the option to vote by absentee ballot if they wish. All Arkansans who are eligible to vote in a runoff election are eligible to cast an absentee ballot under Arkansas’s existing absentee voting law." The absentee ballot application period closed March 24. County clerks must receive completed ballots by 7:30 p.m. on March 31 in order to be counted.
There are runoffs in state House districts 53, 90, and 91. In District 90, state Rep. Jana Della Rosa finished first in the primary with 43% of the vote and will face Kendon Underwood, who was second with 36%. Della Rosa defeated Underwood by two votes—1,068 to 1,066—in the 2018 Republican primary when Della Rosa sought re-election to her third term. In Districts 53 and 91, voters will select nominees to succeed Republican incumbents who are not running for re-election. Runoffs will also be held for 10 circuit court justices, three district court judges, and certain local races.
Here is a sampling of statements from candidates and election officials regarding Tuesday’s runoffs:
- Benton County Election Coordinator Kim Dennison told KNWA, “We still have to hold an election whether the virus is around or not. There’s just no way around [the virus spreading], so we have no choice.”
- Scott Richardson, a candidate in the runoff for State House District 91, told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, “He who gets the best turnout will probably win. The challenge is to remotivate the voters, finding a way to get them to reengage.”
- Jefferson County Election Administrator Sven Hippsaid told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, “We’ve lowered the number of polling sites to lessen the number of poll workers and the exposure factor. We’ve come up with a health/safety plan to require gloves and alcohol wipes at each polling site, and as of now, everything is programmed and ready to walk out the door for the election.”
- Russell Anzalone, chairman of the Benton County Election Commission told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, “It’s a runoff election. We are really not inundated with voters for runoff elections.”
Here are some other notable coronavirus-related updates since Monday's Brew:
- President Donald Trump (R) announced social distancing guidelines would remain in effect through April.
- Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey (R) announced schools would be closed for the remainder of the academic year. Schools were originally scheduled to reopen April 13.
- Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) issued a stay-at-home order effective immediately and lasting until the declared state of emergency ended.
- Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo (D) announced that the statewide school closure, initially scheduled to end April 6, was extended through April 30.
- Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) issued a stay-at-home order effective immediately until June 10.
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Wisconsin to hold state supreme court election, presidential primary April 7
We’re also one week away from Wisconsin’s April 7 spring general election and presidential preference primary. Incumbent Wisconsin State Supreme Court Justice Daniel Kelly and challenger Jill Karofsky are running for a 10-year term.
Although the race is officially nonpartisan, Kelly is a member of the court's conservative majority and has received support from conservative groups. Karofsky says she would join the court's liberal minority and has received support from liberal groups.
A win for Karofsky would reduce the court’s conservative majority to 4-3, meaning control of the court would be at stake during the next election in 2023, assuming no justices leave the bench early. A win for Kelly would preserve the current 5-2 conservative majority, meaning that control of the court will not be at stake until the 2026 election.
State leaders have debated how the election should proceed. Gov. Tony Evers (D) said last week the election should be conducted entirely by mail. State Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R) said Evers' proposal was not feasible given the number of ballots that would need to be printed and mailed in the period of time remaining before the election. The state legislature would have to approve a change to conduct the election entirely via mail.
In addition to statewide and municipal races, Wisconsin is also holding its presidential preference primaries April 7. Twelve Democratic candidates will appear on the ballot. Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders are the two remaining high-profile Democrats actively running for the nomination. The Democratic primary is open, meaning all registered voters can participate. The results of the primary will allocate 84 pledged delegates. President Donald Trump is running unopposed in Wisconsin’s Republican presidential primary.
The deadline to register to vote online for this election was extended via federal court order to yesterday, March 30. The deadline to apply for an absentee ballot is April 2 and the deadline to submit it is 8:00 p.m. on April 7.
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Candidates and the Effects of COVID-19
Candidates for public office are facing a unique set of challenges as they reevaluate their 2020 campaigning approaches due to the coronavirus pandemic.
As they adjust to campaigning in this new reality, we've heard stories from candidates regarding issues from signature gathering to canceled campaign events.
Tomorrow, Ballotpedia is hosting a virtual discussion at 1:00 p.m. ET for these 2020 candidates. All candidates on a 2020 ballot for any office are welcome to join. Our Director of Partnerships, Sarah Rosier, will lead the discussion. Joining her will be political consultants Jeff Hewitt and Rory McShane.
Hewitt served on the Clinton-Gore campaign staff, managed a variety of Democratic campaigns, and served as an advisor for a variety of congressional races throughout the U.S. McShane has managed or advised political campaigns for Republican members of Congress, statewide constitutional officers, state legislators, county and municipal officials, political action committees, and multiple successful ballot initiatives.
Candidates will be discussing the challenges they are facing and the new strategies they're adopting this election cycle. If you are a candidate for office and would like to join the call, please reply and let me know so we can send you an invite.
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The Lucy Burns Institute, publisher of Ballotpedia, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All donations are tax deductible to the extent of the law. Donations to the Lucy Burns Institute or Ballotpedia do not support any candidates or campaigns.
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