The Coronavirus pandemic has left the 2020 Democratic presidential primary season in turmoil, and Wisconsin authorities attempted to accommodate changing conditions via extending the deadline for absentee ballot voting and postponing planned in-person voting this week altogether. The conservative majority U.S. Supreme Court ruled against the attempted absentee ballot extension this week, and the Wisconsin state Supreme Court ruled against the executive order from Governor Tony Evers meant to postpone in-person voting. In the wake of these rulings, handed down by conservatives ignoring concerns about voter safety, former First Lady Michelle Obama admonished voters in the state to “prioritize safety.”
She posted on Twitter:
‘Wisconsin’s Election Day is today, Tuesday, April 7th. If you have an absentee ballot, make sure to drop it off or mail it in today. If you are going to vote in person, make sure to prioritize your safety and the safety of others.’
Wisconsin's Election Day is today, Tuesday, April 7th. If you have an absentee ballot, make sure to drop it off or mail it in today. If you are going to vote in person, make sure to prioritize your safety and the safety of others. https://t.co/mBJfxFKXXH
— Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) April 7, 2020
The conservatives who opted to prioritize their unfounded concerns about election integrity over concerns about the safety of voters who could be exposed to a community spread of the Coronavirus drew swift and fierce condemnation.
Wisconsin state Democratic Party chair Ben Wikler insisted:
‘The Supreme Court of the United States legislated from the bench today, following Trump team’s orders and writing a new election law to disenfranchise untold thousands of Wisconsin voters and consign an unknown number of Wisconsinites to their deaths.’
That’s pretty blunt — Wikler is insisting that the conservatives on the U.S. Supreme Court opted to send to Wisconsin voters to their potential deaths. After President Donald Trump himself weighed in, praising the U.S. Supreme Court ruling, Wikler added:
‘This is now etched into history. Donald Trump doesn’t care how many of his followers die—and how many people they infect and kill—if it helps him maintain power.’
This is now etched into history. Donald Trump doesn't care how many of his followers die—and how many people they infect and kill—if it helps him maintain power. https://t.co/w6Mpzy0rLm
— Ben Wikler (@benwikler) April 7, 2020
Trump had endorsed Judge Daniel Kelly in a race for a seat on the state’s Supreme Court that is unfolding on the same day as the state’s Democratic presidential primary. Video footage has already been circulating of voters crowding close together at polling places. If one of them were to have the virus, it could spread rapidly.
Polls open in minutes. Here’s a look at the line in Waukesha, the city’s only polling location pic.twitter.com/Uqg08gannt
— Matt Smith (@mattsmith_news) April 7, 2020
Check out Twitter’s response below…
