Democratic Primaries During a Pandemic

Politics Over Public Health

CHARLES REX ARBOGAST / AP

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic and specific guidelines from the CDC recommending that people avoid gathering in groups of 10 or more, Democratic primaries in Florida, Illinois, and Arizona were allowed to move forward. The chairman of the Democratic National Committee, Tom Perez, the governors and the Democratic party leadership of the aforementioned states should be considered guilty of gross negligence for allowing hundreds of thousands of people to run the risk of contracting and continuing to spread the deadly contagion.

Images from the primary in Illinois show masses of voters waiting in long lines to cast their votes.

In one polling location, dozens of people can be seen closely huddled together waiting to vote.