Baker Says It's 'Critically Important' Election Held As Scheduled After President Trump Suggests Delay
BOSTON (CBS) – Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker said it is "critically important" for elections to be held as scheduled this fall after President Donald Trump suggested on Twitter Thursday morning that the vote could be delayed.
Read: Keller @ Large: Trump's Suggestion To Delay Election Is Filled With Flaws
Thursday morning, President Trump tweeted "Delay the Election until people can properly, securely and safely vote???"
Baker was asked about the tweet during his coronavirus press briefing.
"I think it's critically important that the election that is scheduled for the fall, in September and November, happen," Baker said.
"We held municipal elections in the Commonwealth over the course of the past few months, and in some cases at a point in time when our positive test rate was north of 10%. We held legislative elections - hotly contested legislative elections - over that same period of time," the Republican governor added.
Baker said Swampscott, where he lives, "completely changed" the way they handled voting during its recent election. The town reduced the number of polling places, moved into bigger spaces, and spread voters out. Baker said the changes "worked fine."
"We've had elections in the midst of World Wars. We've had an election in the midst of a Civil War. We've had an election, too many times in this country, during terrible, awful circumstances," Baker said. "But elections need to happen, and there's no reason why this one can't happen when it's supposed to happen - in September and November."
Republican New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu also reacted to President Trump's tweet on Thursday, saying it will happen as planned, "end of story."
