The US state of Rhode Island is delaying both the Democratic and Republican presidential primaries in the state due to the continuing spread of the coronavirus in the country, according to an executive order signed by Governor Gina Raimondo on Monday.
Raimondo moved the primaries, which were originally scheduled to take place on 28 April, to 2 June. She also noted that the state board of elections would determine a "predominantly mail ballot" primary.
“The Rhode Island Secretary of State joins in the Board's request that the Primary be predominantly a mail ballot election … the State continues to work tirelessly to contain the spread of COVID19 within its borders,” the executive order reads.
The development comes shortly after a number of other states such as Ohio, Georgia, Louisiana, Connecticut and Kentucky postponed their primaries until summer, due to the coronavirus pandemic.