The Washington, D.C., Republican Party has extended voting in Saturday’s Republican nominating convention to accommodate observant Jews who will be honoring the Sabbath during the day, when voting hours were scheduled.
Though D.C. doesn’t typically play much of a role in determining the Republican presidential nominee, this time around, it could actually could matter.
With GOP candidates in a fierce battle for delegates, D.C. has 19 of them up for grabs. And given that only a few thousand people are expected to vote, they are relatively easy to pick up. It also means that each individual voter has more influence than just about anywhere else in the country.
Given the number of political journalists in the city and the fact that only Guam will be voting that day, it should also generate a ton of media coverage.
“This will be the most covered DC Republican event ever,” said Patrick Mara, the executive director of the D.C. GOP.
The convention will allow voters to stop by the Loews Madison Hotel to indicate their presidential preference. The official hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
However, this timing would make it impossible for Orthodox Jews to attend.
Over the weekend, Rabbi Shmuel Herzfeld of the Ohev Sholom Synagogue wrote a letter to Mara, complaining that the scheduling of the vote, “disenfranchises the Jewish community who observe Saturday as the Sabbath and will th[u]s be at a severe disadvantage in voting in this primary.”
On Monday, Mara confirmed that voting would now be kept open until 9 p.m. to accommodate observant Jews, who will be able to participate after sundown.
In addition, observant Jews will have the option of casting an electronic absentee ballot. That option is also open to disabled veterans and overseas military.
