Louisiana Postpones Presidential Primary Elections over Coronavirus Fears

Louisiana is postponing its presidential primary elections amid fears of the novel coronavirus pandemic, Louisiana Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin confirmed on Friday.

Ardoin announced on Friday that the state will move its upcoming primary elections, previously scheduled for April 4, amid mounting coronavirus concerns. Officials have moved the debate to June 20, according to the Monroe News-Star. There are currently 33 presumptive positive cases in the state.

Gov. John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency in the state this week, adding that he expects “the number to increase over time.”

“That’s why we issued a statewide emergency declaration and why we’re asking everyone to follow precautions,” he said. “It’s important because it will reduce your risk of exposure and the risk of spread to others. It is worrisome.”

“We want to make sure people take this serious,” he continued. “We don’t want people out there overreacting and engaging in conduct that’s not helpful.”

“The risk is still low for any individual, but the risk to the community at large has increased beyond yesterday and the day before,” he added.

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) on Friday sent a statement to state parties on Friday regarding potential changes due to the Chinese coronavirus:

The Party Affairs and Delegate Selection (PADS) team has been in touch with several states who are thinking about the changes to their Delegate Selection Plan in response to COVID-19. We know the situation is very different in every state and do want to give state parties flexibility to change their plan to address the guidance you are getting on the ground. Ultimately, the health and safety of the voters is the number one priority. If you have ideas on changes you’d like to make, please reach out to the PADS team and they will work with the RBC Co-Chairs to review the changes so that your process can continue without major interruptions.

The DNC announced this week a change of location for the upcoming Democrat debate, moving it from Phoenix, Arizona, to CNN’s studio in Washington, DC, “out of an abundance of caution.”