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Appeals court blocks six-day extension for counting Wisconsin ballots

Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/Axios

The full 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday blocked a lower court's ruling that extended the deadline for counting absentee ballots in Wisconsin to Nov. 9 as long as they are postmarked by the Nov. 3 election.

Why it matters: The ruling, if it stands, is a win for Republicans who had sought to curb the amount of time allowed to count ballots in this decisive battleground state. Wisconsin is expecting 2 million absentee voters due to the pandemic.

What to watch: Democrats will likely appeal the decision to the Supreme Court. Republicans in Pennsylvania have already asked the Supreme Court to halt a major state court ruling that extended the deadlines for mail-in ballots to several days after the election.

Go deeper: How the Supreme Court could decide the election

Go deeper

Axios
Jan 16, 2021 - Health

CDC director defends agency's response to coronavirus pandemic

Robert Redfield. Photo: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images

Outgoing CDC director Robert Redfield told NPR on Friday that he was proud of the agency's response to the coronavirus pandemic and that he disagreed with his incoming successor's conclusion that the "gold standard for the nation's public health — has been tarnished."

Why it matters: The CDC has faced sharp criticism throughout its nearly year-long response to the coronavirus pandemic over several issues, including some of its messaging and guidance, which has been described as inconsistent and confusing.

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Hans Nichols, author of Sneak Peek
Jan 15, 2021 - Politics & Policy

Biden: "We will manage the hell out of" vaccine distribution

Joe Biden. Photo: Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

President-elect Joe Biden promised to invoke the Defense Production Act to increase vaccine manufacturing, as he outlined a five-point plan to administer 100 million COVID-19 vaccinations in the first months of his presidency.

Why it matters: With the Center for Disease Control and Prevention warning of a more contagious variant of the coronavirus, Biden is trying to establish how he’ll approach the pandemic differently than President Trump.

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Axios
Jan 15, 2021 - Health

CDC: Highly transmissible coronavirus variant could become dominant in U.S. in March

Health care providers work at triage tents outside Providence St. Mary Medical Center in Southern California. Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned Friday that the highly transmissible coronavirus variant first discovered in the U.K. will likely become the dominant strain in the U.S. this March if more steps aren't taken to mitigate the spread.

The state of play: Only about 76 people in a dozen states have been diagnosed with the the B.1.1.7 variant so far, according to the CDC, but experts warn there are likely more undetected cases. Although the variant is more contagious, it does not appear to be resistant to existing vaccines or cause more severe symptoms.

Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow