Governor DeWine says the director of the Ohio Department of Health, Dr. Amy Acton, has ordered the polls closed on Tuesday as a health emergency.

This comes after earlier on Monday a judge denied the governor’s request to push back the March 17th primary to June 2nd due to the coronavirus threat.

DeWine says Secretary of State Frank LaRose will seek remedy through the courts to extend voting options so that every voter who wants to vote will be granted that opportunity.

The governor says we are facing an unprecedented health crisis and to conduct an election on Tuesday would force poll workers and voters to place themselves at an unacceptable risk of contracting the coronavirus.

The CDC is now advising against anyone gathering in groups larger than 50, which the governor says will occur if the election goes forward.