NJ pushes primary to July 7 from June 2 because of COVID-19
I voted stickers sit on a table during a presidential primary election at the Journey Church in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on April 7, 2020.(Photo by KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI / AFP)
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey's June 2 primary is moving to July 7 because of the coronavirus outbreak under an executive order Gov. Phil Murphy signed Wednesday.
Murphy said the extra time will give officials a chance to evaluate whether the state needs to go to an all-mail election, which he noted has never been done before. He said the possibility of a mail-in only election for the primary was on the table.
“Our democracy cannot be a casualty of COVID-19. We want to ensure that every voter can vote without endangering their health or their safety," said Murphy, a Democrat.
Murphy specifically pointed to the election in Wisconsin that was held Tuesday despite the governor's efforts to delay it. The state's Supreme Court disagreed with delaying the election.
New Jersey shouldn't become Wisconsin “where folks had to pick between exercising their right to vote on the one hand and protecting their personal health," Murphy said.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo had already postponed the state's April 28 presidential primary until June 23.
New Jersey reported 275 more deaths from the virus, bringing the total to 1,504. More than 47,000 people have tested positive, Murphy and Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli said.