WASHINGTON _ The growing tension between containing a health crisis and preserving democratic norms spilled out into the open on the eve of another round of voting, with public officials nationwide _ regardless of party affiliation _ sending contradictory messages about the safety of conducting elections amid the coronavirus outbreak.
From President Donald Trump on down to governors and mayors, opinions split wildly over the wisdom of continuing with elections at the same time government officials ordered citywide curfews, closed down public spaces and instructed Americans to limit their gatherings to under 10 people.
It's left the upcoming election calendar in a state of flux. Georgia, Kentucky and Louisiana have postponed their primaries to later in the year, while Ohio's governor unsuccessfully pushed to do the same. That means Tuesday's elections in Arizona, Florida, Illinois and Ohio are still set to take place as planned.
