Although the delegate gap between Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and former Vice President Joseph R. Biden seems to be growing with each passing primary with rumors circulating about Sanders exiting the race, for now at least, the fight for the Democratic nomination is still on. However, the next chance the two will get at facing off at the ballot box may not be for some time. As the global coronavirus pandemic continues shuttering businesses and bringing everyday American life to a grinding halt, the rippling effects of the public health crisis have started to seep into our elections. Voting booths can be frequented by hundreds, or even thousands of potential carriers, which means they’d require routine sanitation to reduce substantial health risks. Furthermore, poll workers tend to skew older and retired, thus putting them at even greater risk. This past Tuesday, Ohio was originally planning on holding its primary elections alongside Arizona, Florida, and Illinois. It was only after a last minute decision from the governor and Secretary of State that the elections were ultimately postponed. Many other states have followed suit, like Connecticut, Georgia, and even Puerto Rico has indefinitely postponed their elections to April 26th, at the very earliest.

In the meantime, quarantines around the country have spurred new support for mail-in ballots. Before the coronavirus truly hit the United States, many election experts were projecting 2020 to hit high figures in turnout statistics. 2018 set records for a midterm election, and many voters were expressing high levels of enthusiasm in early February polling. But with most of the country stuck indoors, turnout has suffered. In response, many states have turned to vote-by-mail as a solution. However, this isn’t a solution that exists across all 50 states. While most states are willing to provide absentee ballots with “no excuse”. there are many that demand a valid reason for . But with no end in sight for COVID-19, there’s only so much farther these states can push back their elections before the Democratic National Convention comes rearing its head (assuming it’s still held!).