'Elections Need To Happen,' Baker Says After Trump Suggests Delay

ANDOVER, MA — Gov. Charlie Baker said it is "critically important" elections happen as scheduled, indirectly rebuking President Donald Trump, who tweeted hours earlier the possibility of delaying the November presidential election.

Baker, speaking Thursday morning from Pfizer in Andover, said elections have taken place during wars and they should during the coronavirus pandemic.

"Elections need to happen," he said. "And there's no reason why this one can't happen when it's supposed to happen in September and in November."

Trump's tweet was the first time the president floated the idea of delaying the election, citing "the most INACCURATE & FRAUDULENT Election in history," referring to the expansion of mail-in voting.

Baker pointed to several recent municipal elections that were held successfully.

Massachusetts is among the states to allow no-excuse mail-in voting during the September and November elections. For the first time, it is offering early voting before the state primary and expanded early voting before the general election.

People can still vote in person.

The state primary is Sept. 1. The general election is Nov. 3.

A fellow Republican governor to the north joined Baker in saying the elections should go on as scheduled.