Louisiana Gov won't sign 'woefully inadequate' election plan put forth by Rep Sec of State

[fleur-de-lisa]

https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/politics/legislature/article_6067902e-e197-11ea-8d64-27d09a688c5f.html

Gov. John Bel Edwards on Tuesday said he won’t support an emergency election plan put forth by Sec. of State Kyle Ardoin, calling the proposal “woefully inadequate” because it does not extend absentee voting options for people who are quarantining or at higher risk from the virus.

The Democratic governor, who previously worked with Ardoin on an emergency election plan for the summer elections, said he won’t sign the new one unless it is revised. If Ardoin doesn’t change the plan, that means the state will move toward the November presidential election without any changes to address the pandemic.

If that happens, a court could step in to mandate the state take certain steps to make voting safer for voters, as Edwards noted at a press conference Tuesday.

“I do not support his plan. I don’t believe that it accommodates all the voters that should be accommodated in the public health emergency,” Edwards said. “I don’t believe that plan goes far enough. It doesn’t take into account the seriousness of this pandemic.”

Ardoin did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Lawmakers are slated to start hearings tomorrow. The House & Governmental Affairs committee meets Wednesday and the Senate & Governmental Affairs committee meets Thursday to vet an emergency plan proposed by Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin that limits who can vote absentee by mail. The committee hearings will go ahead as scheduled, Slidell Republican Sen. Sharon Hewitt said Tuesday upon learning the governor’s position.

Both legislative committees and both of the chambers of the Legislature, all with GOP majorities, as well as the Democratic governor need to agree to the need for an emergency declaration and that Ardoin’s election plan properly addresses the crisis. Ardoin, a Republican, was blasted by his own party earlier this year when he presented an election plan that expanded mail-in voting to cover people concerned about the virus, those at higher risk from the virus, and others. After Republican lawmakers pushed back, Ardoin revised the plan to include slightly fewer categories but still allowed a list of people to obtain mail-in ballots.

The plan for the November elections revoked almost all those reasons. Under the new proposal, crafted to appease Republican lawmakers, only people who have tested positive for COVID-19 would have the option of mailing in their ballot if they don’t already qualify for absentee voting.

[spicysista]

1. Geaux, Gov. Edwards!

Keep up the fight, sir!