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Ohio Judge Defies Governor, Orders Primary Election to go Forward
In Ohio, a Franklin County judge has ordered the March 17 Primary Election to be held despite the governor’s call to postpone it in the face of the coronavirus pandemic sweeping through the country, including Ohio.
Common Pleas County Court Judge Richard Frye said in a Monday decision that cancelling or delaying this election would set a “terrible precedent” for any judge to tinker with any future election dates and rules, especially in this case when only twelve hours are left before it takes place, according to the Columbus Dispatch.
Judge Frye handed down his order only hours after both Ohio Governor Mike DeWine (R) and Secretary of State Frank La Rose called for the delay as a matter of abundant caution while the nation, the state and indeed the entire planet attempts to grapple with this still raging, uncontained coronavirus outbreak. The governor’s office had filed a suit seeking confirmation of his announcement/determination in Franklin County, Ohio.
The governor does not have the power to change election protocols without a court order. But! Because he, apparently, assumed his announcement would be perfunctorily confirmed by the judge, poll workers throughout Ohio had been told not to appear for the election, which was (now is) set to begin at 7:00 a.m. Tuesday. Thus, the…
