Editing COVID-19 pandemic in Georgia (U.S. state) (section)

===Politics===

Georgia's [[2020 Georgia Democratic primary|Democratic presidential primary elections]] were originally scheduled for March 24, 2020, but they were moved to May 19.<ref name="ap-nadler">{{cite news |last1=Nadler |first1=Ben |title=Georgia 2nd state to postpone pres. primaries over virus |url=https://apnews.com/2ec895cc5ec27745f9a1b33c091be7ca |work=Associated Press |access-date=March 25, 2020 |date=March 15, 2020 |archive-date=January 5, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210105150813/https://apnews.com/2ec895cc5ec27745f9a1b33c091be7ca |url-status=live }}</ref> On March 24, Secretary of State [[Brad Raffensperger]] announced that all registered voters would receive [[absentee ballot]] request forms [[Postal voting|in the mail]].<ref name="ga-sos-press-vote">{{cite web |title=Raffensperger Takes Unprecedented Steps to Protect Safety and Voter Integrity in Georgia |url=https://sos.ga.gov/index.php/elections/raffensperger_takes_unprecedented_steps_to_protect_safety_and_voter_integrity_in_georgia |publisher=Georgia Secretary of State |access-date=March 25, 2020 |date=March 24, 2020 |archive-date=January 5, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210105150808/https://sos.ga.gov/index.php/elections/raffensperger_takes_unprecedented_steps_to_protect_safety_and_voter_integrity_in_georgia |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="11alive-raymond-ballot">{{cite web |last1=Raymond |first1=Jonathan |title=Georgia to send absentee ballot request forms to every voter amid coronavirus concerns |url=https://www.11alive.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/georgia-voting-absentee-ballot-request-forms/85-91b1f8de-296c-413a-8c79-07e9da444a30 |publisher=11 Alive |access-date=March 25, 2020 |date=March 24, 2020 |archive-date=January 5, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210105150809/https://www.11alive.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/georgia-voting-absentee-ballot-request-forms/85-91b1f8de-296c-413a-8c79-07e9da444a30 |url-status=live }}</ref> Georgia House Speaker David Ralston wanted to further postpone the election to at least June 23, but Raffensperger insisted the May date would proceed, saying that his plan "keeps the integrity of the vote, while also prioritizing the health and safety of Georgia voters".<ref name="ajc-niesse-elections">{{cite web |last1=Niesse |first1=Mark |title=Georgia primary should stay in May, say elections chief and counties |url=https://www.ajc.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/georgia-primary-should-stay-may-say-elections-chief-and-counties/WXrrMz6kK4mm3x33mKmXUN/ |publisher=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution |access-date=March 29, 2020 |date=March 28, 2020 |archive-date=June 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200621063413/https://www.ajc.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/georgia-primary-should-stay-may-say-elections-chief-and-counties/WXrrMz6kK4mm3x33mKmXUN/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

On March 10, state senator [[Brandon Beach]] started showing symptoms of COVID-19 and was tested on March 14. However, he attended a special session of the legislature on March 16 before his test results arrived on March 18 showing that he had tested positive. The entire Georgia state senate, their staffs, and Lieutenant Governor [[Geoff Duncan]] went into quarantine until March 30.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/488385-entire-georgia-legislature-urged-to-self-quarantine-after-senator-tests |title=Entire Georgia state legislature urged to self-quarantine after positive coronavirus test |date=March 19, 2020 |work=Hill |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200320053110/https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/488385-entire-georgia-legislature-urged-to-self-quarantine-after-senator-tests |archive-date=March 20, 2020}}</ref>