SAN ANTONIO – Gov. Greg Abbott issued a proclamation Friday to postpone the runoff primary election until July 14.
The change means the runoff will also be the same day of special election for Texas State Senate District 14, according to the office of the governor.
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Abbott’s office said the change is to help with the state’s ongoing efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
“The postponement of this election serves to help fulfill the Governor's recent executive orders mandating certain obligation for Texans that are aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19, including the encouragement of social distancing. Holding the runoff in May would cause the congregation of large gatherings of people in confined spaces and cause numerous election workers to come into close proximity with others. This would threaten the health and safety of many Texans,” a statement from the office of the governor read.
Early voting for the runoff is postponed until July 6.
COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the new virus, stands for coronavirus disease 2019. The disease first appeared in late 2019 in Wuhan, China, but spread around the world in early 2020, causing the World Health Organization to declare a pandemic in March.
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