Thread by @TexasTribune

1/ El Paso is currently following two national trends:

1. Voter turnout is on pace to surpass 2016’s numbers.

2. And reported cases of COVID-19 are surging to unprecedented numbers.
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2/ Coronavirus cases have been rising in the city over the past month as city and county officials have announced increased restrictions to help combat the spread of the novel coronavirus.
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3/ Last week a UT-Austin report predicted that the El Paso area could run out of hospital beds within weeks.

Gov. Greg Abbott’s office announced the deployment of medical personnel and equipment to help combat the record-breaking surge of COVID-19 cases.bit.ly/3muP7Vx

4/ On Sunday authorities implemented a curfew and asked residents to stay home for the next two weeks to stop the spread of the virus.

The announcement came 9 days ahead of Election Day as El Paso follows a statewide trend of record early voting turnout. bit.ly/3mqAjHm

5/ The latest restrictions have voting groups watching their effect on turnout and what, if any, last-minute pushes they can make to ensure voters continue to go to the polls.

“They are doing a shutdown [in El Paso] for nonessentials. Voting is essential.”bit.ly/3mw2dC1

6/ Both state parties are using the new restrictions as ammunition to use against their opponents.

Democrats blamed the restrictions on Republicans downplaying the virus, and Republican’s claimed the restrictions would suppress turnout.
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7/7 Monday’s voter turnout in El Paso County was down roughly 14% from Friday’s.

But that is a smaller decline than the statewide drop of about 21.5% over the same period.
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