As part of Ballotpedia’s coverage on the coronavirus pandemic, we are compiling a daily summary of major changes in the world of politics, government, and elections happening each day. Here is the summary of changes for April 20, 2020.
Debate over government responses to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic
Read more: Arguments in support of and opposition to government responses to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020
In recent days, protests over state stay-at-home orders have taken place across the country. Today, we turn our attention to some of the arguments surrounding these protests.
- At the White House Coronavirus Task Force briefing on April 17, President Donald Trump (R) said, "These are people expressing their views. I see where they are and I see the way they're working. They seem to be very responsible people to me, but they've been treated a little bit rough."
- In an interview with ABC's This Week on April 19, Washington Governor Jay Inslee (D) said, "I don't know any other way to characterize it, when we have an order from governors, both Republicans and Democrats, that basically are designed to protect people's health, literally their lives, to have a president of the United States basically encourage insubordination, to encourage illegal activity."
- Writing for The Wall Street Journal, William McGurn said, "Though it is common to portray the protesters as putting profits over public health, these are hardly wealthy investors worried about their portfolios. Unlike the roughly one-third of Americans who can work at home and still draw paychecks, for most Americans the lockdowns are more than an inconvenience. And the urgency of reopening looks very different for the 22 million American workers who have just lost their jobs—or the 1 in 4 small-business owners who, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, say they are two months or less away from shutting down permanently."
- Writing for The New York Times, Charlie Warzel said, "This response is disguised as an expression of liberty, but it’s a twisted, paranoid and racialized version. Slate editor Tom Scocca defined it recently as a political ideology where supporters are 'conditioned to believe that thinking about other people’s needs or interests in any way is tyranny by definition.' This wholesale rejection of collective thinking is, as Vice’s Anna Merlan notes, the cornerstone of the anti-vaccine and 'health freedom' movements, which reject public health because they 'don’t think their choices affect other people.'"
The 1918 influenza pandemic
Read more: 1918 influenza pandemic (Spanish Flu) and the 1918 midterm election cycle
The 1918 midterm elections occurred during the 1918 flu pandemic, one of the most severe in history. Each day, we'll look back at a story from the 1918 elections to see how America met the challenges of holding elections during a national health emergency.
On October 7, 1918, The Courier-Journal, Louisville, published an article titled “Flu Snag For Politicians.” The article discussed the impact the flu epidemic could have on the campaign season ahead of the election in November.
“Campaign managers at both Democratic and Republican State headquarters were wrestling yesterday with the most unusual situation that has ever been met with in a political campaign in this State as a result of the influenza epidemic which, it was said, may make it necessary to cancel every peaking date during the entire time between now and the November election.”
Click here to read the original article, courtesy of the University of Michigan Center for the History of Medicine and Michigan Publishing's Influenza Encyclopedia.
Federal responses
Read more: Political responses to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020
- Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf announced that travel restrictions with Canada and Mexico would be extended another 30 days.
Election changes
Read more: Changes to election dates, procedures, and administration in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020
Overview:
- Twenty states and one territory have postponed state-level primary or special elections.
- Twelve states have modified candidate filing requirements.
- Twenty-three states have made modifications to voting procedures.
- Political parties in 17 states have adjusted party events on a statewide basis.
Details:
- Connecticut - Connecticut's presidential preference primary has been postponed to August 11. This marks the second postponement of Connecticut's presidential preference primary. The primary, originally scheduled to take place on April 28, was first postponed to June 2.
- Massachusetts - The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court issued an order extending the candidate filing deadline for district and county races to May 5 and June 2, respectively. The high court reduced candidate petition signatures requirements to 50 percent of their statutory requirements. The court also authorized candidates to collect petition signatures electronically.
- Michigan - A federal court reduced the petition signature requirements for primary candidates to 50 percent of their statutory requirements. The court extended the filing deadline for petition candidates from April 21 to May 8 and directed election officials to develop procedures allowing for the collection and submission of electronic petition signatures.
- Texas - A Texas state court barred election officials from refusing to grant absentee ballots to, or count the absentee ballots of, voters who claim the disability eligibility category due to concerns over COVID-19.
Ballot measure changes
Read more: Changes to ballot measure campaigns, procedures, and policies in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020-2022
Overview:
- Ballotpedia tracked 20 statewide initiative petition drives that suspended signature gathering.
- Five states changed ballot measure procedures.
- At least five lawsuits seeking court orders suspending or changing requirements and deadlines.
State legislative responses
Read more: State laws in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020
Overview:
- To date, 573 bills related to the coronavirus pandemic have been introduced in state legislatures.
- Eighty-six significant bills have been enacted into law, 15 percent of the total number that have been introduced. This total omits ceremonial resolutions and legislation providing for procedural changes to legislative business.
State legislative session changes
Read more: Changes to state legislative session dates in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020
Overview:
- Twenty-five state legislatures suspended their sessions. Four of those have since reconvened.
- Seventeen legislatures either adjourned or are not scheduled to be in regular session this year.
- Five state legislatures were in regular session.
- Three state legislatures (Oklahoma, Utah, and Wisconsin) were in special session.
Details:
- Rhode Island - Rhode Island extended its session suspension through April 24. Since it took effect on March 16, the suspension has been extended on a weekly basis.
State court changes
Read more: State court closures in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020
Overview:
- Thirty-four states suspended in-person proceedings statewide.
- Sixteen states suspended in-person proceedings on the local level.
Details:
- Georgia - Today, the Supreme Court of Georgia held oral arguments via video conferencing. It was the first time in the court’s 175 year history that arguments were held virtually.
- Colorado - The Colorado Supreme Court extended its suspension of jury trials through June 1.
- Hawaii - The Hawaii Supreme Court issued an order extending its suspension of jury trials through May 29 or the expiration of the state of emergency. The order also authorized local chief judges to resume jury trials earlier.
Prison inmate responses
Read more: State and local governments that released prison inmates in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020
Overview:
- Sixteen states have ordered the release of inmates at the state level.
- Fifteen states have ordered the release of inmates on the local level.
- Fourteen states have not released inmates due to coronavirus.
- Two states have prohibited the release of certain inmate populations.
- Three states have temporarily released certain populations of inmates.
Details:
- Maryland - Gov. Larry Hogan (R) issued an executive order authorizing the release of certain inmate populations due to coronavirus. The order would allow the Commissioner of Corrections to release inmates who are scheduled to be released within 120 days or who are eligible for expedited home detention. The order also would allow the Maryland Parole Commission to consider accelerated parole for eligible inmates who are at least 60 years old, have a record of good institutional adjustment, an approved home plan, and who have been convicted of nonviolent offenses.
State stay-at-home orders
Read more: States with lockdown and stay-at-home orders in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020
Overview:
- Forty-three states issued statewide stay-at-home orders. Eight of those orders are set to last until modified or rescinded by the governor, while the other 35 announced end dates.
Details:
- Pennsylvania - Gov. Tom Wolf (D) announced that he was extending the state’s stay-at-home order to May 8.
School closures
Read more: School responses to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic during the 2019-2020 academic year
Overview:
- Thirty-two states have closed schools for the remainder of the academic year: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. Those states account for 71.3% of the 50.6 million public school students in the country.
- All 50 states ordered a statewide school closure in some form.
Details:
- Florida - Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) closed schools for the remainder of the academic year. Prior to the announcement, schools were closed through May 1.
- Hawaii - The Hawaii Department of Education closed schools for the remainder of the academic year. Prior to the announcement, schools were closed through April 30.
- Iowa - Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) closed schools for the remainder of the academic year. Prior to the announcement, schools were closed through April 30.
- Illinois - Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) closed schools for the remainder of the academic year. Prior to the announcement, schools were closed through April 30.
- Maryland - Superintendent of Schools Karen Salmon announced that the statewide school closure, scheduled to end April 24, was extended through May 15.
Travel restrictions
Read more: Travel restrictions issued by states in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020-2021
Overview:
- Nineteen governors or state agencies have issued an executive order restricting out-of-state travelers
Eviction and foreclosure policies
Read more: Changes to rent, mortgage, eviction, and foreclosure policies in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020
Overview:
- Forty states have implemented policies related to evictions or foreclosures on either the state or local level.
Lawsuits about state actions and policies
Read more: Lawsuits about state actions and policies in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020-2021
Overview:
- To date, Ballotpedia has tracked 36 lawsuits in 22 states relating to actions or policies in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Rulings have been issued in eight of those lawsuits.
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