Category: State
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New York Governor Andrew Cuomo issues order extending statewide disaster emergency declaration until May 7
On April 7, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) issued an extension to the statewide disaster emergency originally declared at the beginning of March in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The executive order, titled “Continuing Temporary Suspension and Modification of Laws Relating to the Disaster Emergency,” maintains the disaster emergency, and all subsequent executive orders…
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School year ended in three states
On Monday afternoon, governors in three states—Arkansas, South Dakota, and Washington—ordered schools to close through the remainder of the academic year. Each states’ schools were already closed by a previous order of the governor. So far, 15 states have closed schools through the remainder of the academic year: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas,…
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Connecticut released over 700 inmates since early March due to coronavirus
On April 6, 2020, officials from the Connecticut Department of Corrections announced that 727 people had been released from state prisons since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic in early March, the most substantial one-month reduction of the prison population in the state’s history. Ballotpedia is tracking prison inmate release responses by state and local…
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Wisconsin Supreme Court enjoins governor’s order postponing the election, allowing voting to continue as scheduled April 7
On April 6, 2020, the Wisconsin State Supreme Court voted 4-2 to enjoin an executive order issued earlier in the day by Governor Tony Evers (D) postponing in-person voting in the spring election, scheduled for April 7, 2020, to June 9, 2020. As a result, in-person voting is expected to take place as scheduled on…
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Fifteen states have restricted out-of-state travelers due to pandemic
As of April 6, governors and state agencies in at least 15 states have placed restrictions on out-of-state travelers through executive orders or public health mandates to reduce the transmission of the novel coronavirus. Though each state uses slightly different language to describe restrictions on interstate travelers, all 15 states require some out-of-state travelers to…
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Federal and state politicians diagnosed with COVID-19
Ballotpedia tracks political incumbents, candidates, and government officials diagnosed with COVID-19, in quarantine or isolation to avoid possible transmission of COVID-19, or confirmed to have been tested and found not to carry COVID-19. Through April 3, 2020, Ballotpedia had identified 36 federal and state politicians with a positive diagnosis. Here is the full list: Federal…
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Coronavirus daily update: April 6, 2020
As part of Ballotpedia’s coverage on the coronavirus pandemic, we are compiling a daily summary of major changes in the world of politics, government, and elections happening each day. Here is the summary of changes for April 6, 2020. Federal responses Read more: Political responses to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020 Senate Minority Leader Chuck…
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Wisconsin governor postpones in-person, absentee voting in April 7 election to June 9
On April 6, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers (D) issued an executive order postponing in-person voting in the spring election, originally scheduled for April 7, to June 9. The order also extended the receipt deadline for absentee ballots to June 9. Evers called on the legislature to convene in a special session at 2:00 p.m. Central…
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Oklahoma legislature convenes special session to approve health emergency declaration
Governor Kevin Stitt (R) called the Oklahoma State Legislature into a special session, set to convene at 8:00 a.m. April 6, 2020, to approve his declaration of a statewide health emergency. To date, 24 legislatures have suspended their sessions (two of these – New York and Vermont – have since reconvened). One state – Minnesota…
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South Dakota legislator Bob Glanzer dies from coronavirus-related complications
South Dakota state Rep. Bob Glanzer (R) died on April 3, 2020 at the age of 74, according to his son on Friday night. Glanzer tested positive for coronavirus on March 22. He was airlifted from Huron Regional Medical Center to Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls on March 24. He is the first public…