Social Distancing on the Campaign Trail

Rallies, conventions, and press conferences were once the primary method for campaigns to connect with voters. The coronavirus pandemic has forced politicians and strategists to rethink how they approach campaigning. Stephanie Cutter, deputy campaign manager for President Barack Obama in 2012, and Matt Rhoades, campaign manager for Mitt Romney in 2012, share how campaigns will need to rely heavily on digital efforts.

Recent graduates seeking to get involved in field campaigns have also had to shift expectations. Sam Aleman, a digital organizer for the Democratic National Committee, and Kiran Menon, a senior at the University of Virginia studying politics, discuss what it's like to pursue campaign jobs during the pandemic. 

States have scrambled to adjust long-planned elections because of the public health risk posed by COVID-19. Earlier this month, the governor of Wisconsin attempted to postpone in-person voting but was ultimately unsuccessful. So on April 7, Wisconsin voters stood six feet apart in long lines to cast their ballots while respecting social distancing. Since then, a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel investigation found systemic problems with the state's absentee ballot request process. Reporter Daphne Chen described the electoral shortfalls. 

Also, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose describes how he's navigating the changes of the state's upcoming all vote by mail primary.

As part of our series on governing during a pandemic, we spoke to Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry. He shared how his constituents are holding up and how he's advising the governor on reopening the state.    

Check out our ongoing coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic here.