Wisconsin Voters Head To Polls To Wait In Long (Socially Distanced) Lines With Masks After Court Rules Election Must Proceed

Zachary PetrizzoApr 7th, 2020, 11:53 am
 

Amidst the coronavirus pandemic, Wisconson voters are making the trek to the polls Tuesday despite Governor Tony Evers on Monday ordering for the election to be postponed — which the U.S. Supreme Court rendered the verdict, on the contrary, stating that voting would occur Tuesday in the state while blocking a lower courts decision.

Following the move, backlash on Twitter was strong, with many pointing to the decision being contrary to the coronavirus guidelines issued by the CDC and not in the interest of public health.

“The virus directs us as to what our decision-making is, not human beings, and clearly I am following the science, as I always have,” Evers stated in a press release Monday.

The WI Supreme Court blocked the order from Gov. Evers late on Monday – resulting in people being mandated to vote in person at the polls come Tuesday.

Wisconsin’s lieutenant governor Mandela Barnes Monday morning didn’t hold back, billing the decision to hold the election a “shit show” while blaming the Republican-led legislature in the state.

Numerous reporters on the ground in Milwaukee and surrounding voting precincts tweeted out videos showing some voters wearing masks – with lines surrounding the polling locations to be “social distanced,” in theory:

The Wisconsin native, author, and Editor-at-large of The Bulwark Charlie Sykes ahead of the heading to the polls posted a lighthearted photo of himself donning a paintball mask.

Twitter users expressed frustration over the move to hold the election and not postpone voting:

This post had been updated. An earlier version of the story failed to mention the action taken by the U.S. Supreme Court; this author regrets that mistake. 

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