Another Tuesday, another US primary - but this time the coronavirus threatens to complicate voting

With two key states experiencing outbreaks of Covid-19, both Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden will be hoping for as little disruption as possible, writes Chris Stevenson

Michigan is a state that Bernie Sanders has to win, having beaten Hillary Clinton there in 2016. (AFP via Getty Images)

Another Tuesday, another slate of states voting over their choice to be the Democratic presidential nominee. While there aren’t anywhere near as many delegates available as on “Super Tuesday” – there is one unknown element, coronavirus.

Of the six states that are voting; Idaho, Michigan, Mississippi and North Dakota are yet to have a case of coronavirus at the time of writing. Michigan, which has the most delegates up for grabs at 125, had 39 tests come back negative, 24 test results pending and 124 people were “under active monitoring” as of Tuesday morning.

It is a state that Bernie Sanders has to win, having beaten Hillary Clinton there in 2016, in order to stop the story becoming overwhelmingly about Joe Biden’s momentum. So I can’t see turnout, particularly among Sanders supporters, being depressed too heavily. It is likely to be the same in the other three states mentioned, even if some people will be worried about entering a crowded polling station and touching voting apparatus likely used by numerous other people.

In Missouri, there has been a case of Covid-19 in St Louis, with the women also not following advice to self-quarantine and attending a school dance on Saturday night. That type of news can spread panic, but every state will likely offer an increase in hand santiser and other precautions at voting locations. Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft has said that his office has kept local voting offices updated.

“Our recommendation to the public at large is to get out and vote,” Ashcroft has said. “It will be safe. We’re used to having elections during flu season.”

The real issue will be Washington state out in the West. There have been more than 160 cases of Covid-19 at time of writing across the state and 22 deaths. The vast majority of those have come in King County. Washington state has mail-in ballot laws, which allows for a vote be counted as long as it is postmarked on or before Tuesday. Although state officials have asked that “Whether healthy or sick, please don’t lick [the envelope]”.

That means that people do not have to visit the polling station if they don’t want to, but will lead to a delay in the final vote totals for the state, and then a delay in announcing the total number of delegates. That will be something that both major candidates, particularly Sander’s team, will be paying attention too – especially if the vote is close. Sanders will want to win the state – he has been doing better than Biden out in the Western states so far – but coronavirus may complicate things.

Every state, including Washington, has made clear that there are contingencies in place if a polling station has to close or there are issues counting mail-in ballots. State officials across the country have said they are expecting voting apparatus to be working at full capacity and at full speed.

Both candidates will be hoping for as little disruption from Covid-19 as possible. The way the race is poised, a switch in momentum, however it comes, could be crucial in becoming the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee.