BREAKING: Judge denies request to delay Ohio primary election until June over coronavirus

[brooklynite]

Cleveland Plain Dealer

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Richard Frye denied an attempt to delay Ohio’s primary election due to coronavirus.

“As of tonight, the governor has not called an emergency session of the legislature," Frye said.

Nor have the leaders of the Ohio House and Senate, he noted.

People who want the election postponed may appeal. It’s still being decided whether an appeal is possible.

[showblue22]

1. Democracy must go on.

It might be worse in June, who knows.

[Demsrule86]

2. Good news...it is too late.

[bluestarone]

3. I like this decision

I believe the ONLY reason for this is POLITICAL!!

[captain queeg]

4. Good

[magicarpet]

5. Vote by mail ... no crowds then.

[LisaL]

6. Kind of too late to vote by mail the evening before the primary, don't you think?

[FarPoint]

7. Exactly.....

I was planning on going to my Poll in early morning...

[LisaL]

10. Looks like you still can.

Local press is reporting that judge denied request to postpone the primary.

[FarPoint]

14. Ohhh yes...

I will...I go early..like 7 am

[magicarpet]

17. Oh,... sorry,... I did not realize the primary vote day,...

.... we already had ours.

Was kind of thinking/hoping the national November presidential would be by mail for everyone. To deny trDump a chance to tamper with the election date or cancel because he considered voting would exasperate his Coronavirus National Emergency. Just too dangerous to have elections right now.

[rzemanfl]

8. Contradictory threads on DU. You guys figure it out. n/t

[Maeve]

9. this is nuts....poll worker here

I got a text from the county BOE saying no election tomorrow minutes before the decision was announced and now I have to keep waiting to see where I'll be at 6:30 tomorrow morning.

I'll give DeWine the benefit of the doubt as trying to do the health "right thing" but not the legal "right thing". I can see him caught between the two and he's trying to have it both ways.

Which is why I've never voted for him.

[LisaL]

11. WTF is going on?

The state of mass confusion. The day before the primary.
DeWine should have done it in advance if he wanted to postpone it.

[FarPoint]

16. Hours before the polls open!

Right now...let me say THANK YOU POLL WORKERS!!!!

[showblue22]

18. I watched the court decision live. Voting will happen

Link to tweet

[Cousin Dupree]

28. The election is on tomorrow

[William769]

12. We seem to have conflicting reports.

[oasis]

13. The ambiguity over the delay will take a bite out of voter turnout.

Maybe that was the plan.

[LisaL]

15. Exactly.

A lot of people will think it was changed because CNN is reporting it. Why is CNN reporting it?

[showblue22]

19. I watched the court decision live. Voting will happen

Link to tweet

[LisaL]

20. Poll workers already told not to show up.

It's going to be a giant mess.

[Maeve]

22. Well, there go my plans to relax tonight!

[showblue22]

23. Damn. They need to be called.

[LisaL]

29. ASAP!

[Maeve]

49. Text has gone out telling us to come in tomrrow

Lateness of the idea screwed the whole situation. But we bounce back. It's what we do

[Maeve]

21. CNN has corrected its story---DENIED

https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/16/politics/ohio-primary/index.html

[FloridaBlues]

25. What a mess. This will definitely mess with turn out. Hope people voted early.

[honest.abe]

24. Very good news!

Tomorrow will be another big day for Joe!

[Botany]

26. I support DeWine ... he is listening to the experts

Although it is a little late to move the election but if stopping it for tomorrow saves 1 life it
is worth it.

[LisaL]

31. The election will go on.

[Cousin Dupree]

27. Poll workers and voters will be exposed unnecessarily. What a great idea!

[LisaL]

30. I am not exactly thrilled to be voting in the midst of corona virus either.

But judge decided the election must go on. DeWine waited much too late to postpone it.

[Cousin Dupree]

32. Politics over common sense and disease prevention. Brilliant.

[LisaL]

33. Not sure what you want me to about it.

I am not the judge.

[Cousin Dupree]

35. But you sure support the judge who thinks it's ok to expose people to infection. I'm a nurse.

Some of the remarks here are just beyond belief.

[LisaL]

36. I never said I supported the judge.

[Cousin Dupree]

40. It appears you support his decision. But that's your right. This is not political for me.

I can’t see it as anything other than a public health issue. And this judge’s decision is wrong.

[LisaL]

41. What I don't support is DeWine going to court the evening before the election and

asking to postpone it. Judge said it was too late. Now it's going to be one big giant mess.
Poll workers might not show up?
People might think it was cancelled.
Which should make you happy because turnout could be low if people think it's cancelled.

[Cousin Dupree]

44. Everyone at the poll my where my spouse is working tomorrow have been called this eve. They

know the Judge’s decision. They are going to show up. Most of them are poster children for the high risk group. They are taking their responsibility seriously. And they are exposing themselves to a potentially deadly disease. But, you know, the show must go on.

[LisaL]

46. Again, you are blaming the wrong person.

I didn't make that decision. Not sure why DeWine waited till the last minute. He knew election was coming and virus was spreading. Like I said, I am not exactly thrilled to be voting under the threat of corona virus.

[Cousin Dupree]

47. I know you didn't make the decision. I strongly disagree with many posters on here. Kind of

que sera, sera. Everyone is flying by the seat of their pants. Including this Gov. When all the dust settles, we’ll have the luxury of figuring out where all the bad decisions were made. I never liked DeWine. But I’m not going to second guess him on this one. His timing may be terrible, but he tried to do the right thing.

[Demsrule86]

42. If people have to go to work and they do, we can fucking vote...it only helps Trump if we don't vote

We can be careful.

[Cousin Dupree]

45. Chuckle.

[pampango]

38. I know they were already worried that many poll workers were not going to show out of fear.

This will just add to the confusion. With schools, restaurants, etc. closed to slow the spread of the virus, I hope the primary goes smoothly and safely.

[LisaL]

39. Now they might not show up because they were told not to show up, before

judge even made the decision.

[Blasphemer]

34. Judge is right - he says there is no evidence this will be over by June.

If they had moved for an extended primary with all vote by mail that would have made more sense.

[LisaL]

37. It might be worse in June.

For all we know. DeWine should have gone to court earlier if he wanted to postpone the election.

[Demsrule86]

43. kick

[SunsetDreams2]

48. He did the right thing

By denying the request. There was absolutely no way to determine if this would not be worse by June. What then?
I’m not sure why, if it was so important, the Governor waited until today to recommend anything.