Republicans are weaponzing the coronavirus to disenfranchise voters and distort elections.

And yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of their latest scheme.

So — despite a statewide stay-at-home order to limit the spread of the coronavirus, and even though many other states have postponed their elections — Wisconsin is holding an election today.

Sort of.

Technically, polls are open today in the Badger State.

Milwaukee — a city of almost 600,000 people — usually has 180 polling places. Today it has five.

For example.

Oh, the court also overruled extending Wisconsin’s deadline for absentee voting — by just six days — even though election officials received roughly five times the typical number of requests for absentee ballots.

Since thousands of voters may not even receive their ballots until after today’s deadline, they will, in effect, be disenfranchised.

Wisconsinites are being forced to choose between two conflicting civic duties:

Show up to vote (if you can even find an open polling place) or stay home to limit the spread of the coronavirus.

And the same thing could happen all across America this November.

So, quick question:

Should states be required to prepare for the possibility that the coronavirus will disrupt elections this November by working NOW on a plan to mail general election ballots to every voter?

YES

NO

NOT SURE

Thanks for letting me know what you think.

For democracy,

- Robert Weissman, President of Public Citizen

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