Wisconsin Supreme Court overrules governor, orders state elections can proceed on Tuesday

A Wisconsin voter wears a mask as he tries to drop off his ballot.

(Image credit: Kamil Krzaczynski/AFP via Getty Images)

published 6 April 2020

The Wisconsin Supreme Court on Monday ruled that the state's presidential primaries and local elections scheduled for Tuesday must take place.

Hours earlier, Gov. Tony Evers (D) issued an executive order delaying in-person voting until June 9. He said the elections must be postponed due to the COVID-19 coronavirus, arguing that in-person voting during the pandemic compromised the safety of voters and poll workers. "I cannot in good conscience allow any types of gathering that would further the spread of this disease and to put more lives at risk," he said.

The court ruled 4-2 that Evers lacked the authority to unilaterally move the election. Originally, Evers had agreed with Republicans, saying the elections had to take place because local offices on the ballot have terms that start in two weeks. On Monday, as volunteers said they wouldn't show up to the polls and more critics jumped on him for not stopping the election during the pandemic, Evers changed course.

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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

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