News Clips

In Florida, Palm Beach County had some of the worst disruptions in the state, said Liza McClenaghan of Common Cause Florida: By midmorning, some polling places had not opened, some opened late and some were understaffed.

Karen Hobert Flynn, president of Common Cause, said the challenges in the primaries will give election officials an opportunity to find remedies such as allowing more mail-in voting by the November election. “Today we’re faced with a challenge unlike anything we’ve seen in our 50 years of advocacy, a global pandemic where all 50 states have now declared a state of emergency,” she said.

Common Cause, a citizens advocacy group, said states should do what is necessary to protect individuals, as long as the primaries are held in a timely manner and actions are taken to make sure the November elections are held without a hitch. "The COVID-19 pandemic presents an unprecedented challenge to our elections, but those elections can and must be held this year," said Common Cause President Karen Hobert Flynn. "Americans expect and deserve to have their say at the polls to choose their representatives and to hold their elected officials accountable."

“These are unusual restrictions,” Susan Lerner, executive director of Common Cause New York, said of recommended federal limits to try and control the spread of the virus. Her group is urging the delay of that state’s 2020 presidential primary from April 28 to June 23, when congressional and legislative primaries are already scheduled. “Normally, we do not support postponing elections, but these are extraordinary circumstances,” Lerner said.

Catherine Turcer, executive director of Common Cause Ohio, said the public’s fears could overtake their desire to vote — though she encouraged people who feel comfortable to turn out. “We’re asking people to go into pretty confined conditions, and even with all sorts of wipes and the things that can be done to make things safe, it is anxiety-provoking,” she said.

Sylvia Albert, director of voting and elections for advocacy group Common Cause, said her organization supports moving forward with next week’s elections, but it is too soon to say what other states should do if the virus continues to spread. “It’s an ever-changing situation,” Albert said. “I wouldn’t want to opine on what somebody should do in four weeks because we don’t know what four weeks will look like.”