A little thread for the people who are shouting “POSTPONE THE ELECTION” but don’t understand the many reasons why it can’t be legally done. -From a person who also would like it to be changed, but understands why it can’t be done.

First let’s set the facts straight: Governor Evers has said for weeks that he wants the election to go on. He could have tried to shut down polling places in his Safer at Home order, but didn’t. There are many reasons for his sudden reversal, but that’s besides the point.

Question 1: “Why can’t the election date be changed?” State law requires that the spring, nonpartisan primary be held on the second Tuesday in April. Changing the date would require a constitutional amendment, a process which takes years to complete.

Another issue related to this question: municipal terms end at the end of April. Again, without amending the constitution, the legislature can’t extend the terms of mayors/alderpersons. Not to mention the dangerous precedent of using an emergency to indefinitely extend your term

Because we’re in the middle of a pandemic, we simply can’t allow municipalities to go without elected officials. That would be mayhem.

Another factor that makes it hard to simply delay an election: early voting has been going on in Wisconsin since early March. It’s hard to delay an election that has already been happening for weeks.

Question 2: “Why can’t we just do an all mail in election?”

Well, there are a few reasons why. First, it’s not even logistically possible right now. There aren’t enough resources to send out a ballot to every registered voter, especially in rural communities

The second reason is another legal one. In Wisconsin, we have guaranteed same day, in person voter registration. Any cancelation of in person voting would violate that right. While voters have been encouraged to register online and vote absentee, not all of them do.

Then there’s also the fraud component of it. There are over 200,000 names on the voter rolls that don’t belong. These people would still get ballots sent to them, and since we aren’t requiring witness signatures, opens the state up to a lot of potential for fraud.

Question 3: “Why have other states been able to change their election dates?”

Because their state statutes allow them to. Every state is different pertaining to election laws. The closest case to us would be Ohio, where DeWine still had to violate a court order to cancel it.

Evers could try a similar strategy and declare polling places a heath risk and have DHS shut them down. But that would be immediately challenged in court. Aside from a Federal Judge saying it should be moved, there’s really not another option besides this.

This whole thing is a dumpster fire. And while I’ve been saying for weeks that it should be postponed, there really isn’t a way to do it. So while it’s easy to scream at people and say “Just cancel it!” unless you have an actual solution, it’s just misplaced anger.