#election changes

From Daily Kos:

• CA-25: Local election officials are discussing the possibility of conducting the May 12 runoff for California's vacant 25th Congressional District entirely by mail, and according to the San Francisco Chronicle, both Democrat Christy Smith and Republican Mike Garcia are supportive. The paper adds that Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom would have to sign off on such a change but says, "In the past, that approval has been nearly automatic." With the option to permanently receive an absentee ballot at home in every election, voting by mail has grown increasingly popular in California in recent years, with about two-thirds of all ballots now cast that way.

• Connecticut: Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont has moved Connecticut's presidential primary from April 28 to June 2. The state's primaries for downballot office are not until Aug. 11. Democratic Secretary of State Denise Merrill, who has previously recommended the state waive its excuse requirement for voting absentee, says that officials are still "working on" the issue.

• Delaware: Election officials in Delaware are saying that the state will proceed as planned with its April 28 primary. However, Delaware's excuse requirement to vote absentee has not yet been waived.

• Idaho: The Idaho Democratic Party has asked Republican Gov. Brad Little and Republican Secretary of State Lawerence Denney to conduct the state's May 19 downballot primaries entirely by mail, but Denney's office says that state law prohibits them from doing so. Denney is, however, encouraging voters to cast absentee ballots, which any voter can request without an excuse.

• Indiana: The chairs of Indiana's Democratic and Republican parties have jointly asked the state's Election Commission to waive the requirement that voters have an excuse in order to request an absentee ballot. Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb has said he also supports the move, and the commission's chair says it's under consideration. In addition, Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett, a Democrat, has said that his office will mail an absentee ballot to every registered voter in the city, which is the largest in the state.

• Kentucky: Kentucky has already moved its presidential and downballot primaries from May 19 to June 23, but Republican Secretary of State Michael Adams says he is weighing whether to move to an all-mail election, though he considers the idea "a last resort." Whether or not Adams pursues this option, Kentucky still requires voters to provide an excuse to vote absentee and has yet to waive it.

• Montana: Republican Secretary of State Corey Stapleton says the state is considering a delay to its June 2 presidential and downballot primaries but adds that he is taking a "deliberate pause" before moving forward and plans to research the matter over "the next week or so." Stapleton is running in the GOP primary for Montana's lone congressional district.

• Nebraska: Nebraska officials say they have no plans at this time to delay their May 12 primary for the presidential race and downballot offices, though like election administrators everywhere else, they are encouraging voters to request absentee ballots. An excuse is not needed to vote absentee in Nebraska, and a handful of rural counties already vote entirely by mail.

• New Jersey: Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy has postponed a variety of special elections and school board races that were set to take place on April 21 and will instead consolidate them with the state's May 12 municipal elections, all of which will be carried out entirely by mail.