An Ohio court rejected Republican Gov. Mike DeWine’s request to postpone the state’s Tuesday primary until June.
DeWine petitioned the court on Monday to move the primary date back several months over concerns about the coronavirus. Judge Richard Frye, however, rejected the governor’s request hours later, citing a lack of evidence that the outbreak of the disease will have improved in three months.
“To the contrary, it’s my understanding from the briefings we’ve seen in the national media that it may be months before we get to a point of stability or a peak of the virus and its transmission rates,” the judge said, also suggesting the late request to change the date was unreasonable.
“We’re here at 7 o’clock, 12 hours before the election. I don’t believe the plaintiffs have proceeded in a timely manner,” he said.
DeWine later slammed the decision, arguing in a Twitter thread that “it simply isn’t possible to hold an election tomorrow that will be considered legitimate by Ohioans.”
“The only thing more important than a free and fair election is the health and safety of Ohioans,” he said. “They mustn’t be forced to choose between their health and exercising their constitutional rights.”
The coronavirus has spread to at least 4,200 people in the United States and killed at least 74, according to U.S. health officials. The figures reflect those who have tested positive for the disease, leaving off potential patients that have yet to be tested.
President Trump on Monday took guidelines by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which had recommended people not attend gatherings of 50 or more people, a step further and said that gatherings of more than 10 should be avoided.
Top health officials fear that the U.S. may be headed toward a health crisis similar to Italy. The Italian prime minister announced a nationwide lockdown last week, closing all businesses except pharmacies and grocery stores. Italian citizens caught venturing outside their homes without permission from the government or without an acceptable reason risk fines.
The Italian government issued the lockdown after hospitals in the country were swamped with potential coronavirus patients, overwhelming the country’s national healthcare system and forcing doctors to ration treatment. Many patients, if they are too old or have preexisting conditions, may not get treatment at all.
