CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Gov. Jim Justice says the current dates of West Virginian’s Primary Election and the restart of school are “very fluid” as the impact the coronavirus pandemic continues.
Justice, during an appearance Tuesday on MetroNews “Talkline,” said discussions continue on whether the current dates, May 12 for the election and April 30 for school resumption, can hold.
“It’s very fluid. It’s very mobile,” Justice said.
He was scheduled to meet Tuesday with Secretary of State Mac Warner and state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey on the election. Justice said he’s wanted to stick with May 12 but the decision by President Donald Trump to extend CDC-backed social distancing guidelines to April 30 have given him second thoughts.
“This thing is continuing to take additional arms and legs and I think what we really need to do is really seriously again address the possibility of extension,” Justice said.
Warner indicated Monday in a letter addressed to Kanawha County Commissioner Kent Carper that the legislature may have to be involved in any change the election date.
On the reopening school buildings, Justice said he’s inclined to stick with the April 20 reopening with the option of extending it again.
“We’re going to either extend that at some point time or throw the towel in and say we just can’t do it this year,” Justice said.
.@WVGovernor joins @HoppyKercheval to discuss closing down state tourism. WATCH: https://t.co/wkudfIRZCB pic.twitter.com/kVIT22pGiw
— MetroNews (@WVMetroNews) March 31, 2020
Currently county school systems are doing a variety of things to instruct children including online lessons and packets that are distributed and returned.
Justice said there would still be seven weeks of school left after April 20.
“To me it would be a great celebration to be able to go back to school–even if we only went back to school for three weeks,” Justice said.
Justice said a decision on the election would likely impact the decision on schools given many schools are used as polling places.
“That just adds another layer to the potential problems for our kids,” Justice said.