YOUR PARANOID QUESTIONS

Your Most Paranoid Pandemic Election Questions, Answered

If the 2020 election is canceled, a Vermont senator (no, not that one) could become president

A voter casts his ballot during early voting in Washington state. Photo: John Moore/Getty Images

The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted life across the United States, forcing more than 297 million people into obeying stay-at-home orders. As the death toll mounts and the disruptions to the economy become ever clearer, it’s worth considering how the virus could affect the most fundamental aspect of our society: our democracy. The contested, confused, last-minute postponement of the Democratic primary in Ohio in March raised real concerns about what happens if the entire nation has to go to the polls amid the coronavirus outbreak. Saturday’s contests in Alaska and Wyoming, followed by Tuesday’s controversial election in Wisconsin, will represent the first time voters will indicate their preferences since the pandemic has forced lockdowns across much of the country. It will be the first small test of how our election process operates in the midst of an unprecedented national crisis.

Can the presidential election be canceled?

No, it can’t. The terms of federal elected officials are set by the Constitution. Trump’s term ends on January 20, 2021…