Coronavirus updates: Census delay could put off new voting districts, primaries

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SALT LAKE CITY — Here are the latest coronavirus-related updates from Utah and around the world.

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Sunday, 01:51pm

Census delay could put off new voting districts, primaries

The U.S. Census Bureau needs more time to wrap up the once-a-decade count because of the coronavirus, opening the possibility of delays in drawing new legislative districts that could help determine what political party is in power, what laws pass or fail and whether communities of color get a voice in their states. The number of people counted and their demographics guide how voting districts for the U.S. House and state legislatures are redrawn every 10 years. The monthslong delay in census data could make a divisive process more complicated, potentially forcing lawmakers into costly special sessions to complete the work or postponing some primary elections. “It will pinch the timing for sure on everybody," said Justin Levitt, a professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles who tracks redistricting nationwide. “For a few states, that’s incredibly meaningful.” — The Associated Press

Sunday, 12:13pm

Utah passes 4,000 total coronavirus cases

One week after Utah passed 3,000 total cases of COVID-19, Sunday's numbers from the Utah Department of Health show the state has since added an additional thousand cases and sits at 4,123. That's up from 3,948 cases on Saturday. No new deaths from the disease were reported Sunday. — Graham Dudley, KSL.com

Sunday, 10:37am

Las Vegas struggles to survive the shutdown

Slot machines are powered down, casinos boarded up and barricaded. On the always busy, always noisy, never sleeping Las Vegas strip, you can now hear birds chirping. “It’s crazy,” said Chris Morehouse, a 70-year-old Elvis impersonator who spent a recent afternoon sipping Miller High Life and posing with a few locals who took advantage of the eerie silence to take photos at the neon-bedecked welcome sign on the Las Vegas Strip. “It’s like the end of the world.” Instead of hosting throngs of visitors for one of the busiest seasons of the year, with March Madness drawing swarms to sportsbooks, or the now-scuttled plan to host the NFL draft this weekend, ferrying players in boats to a red carpet stage on the Bellagio lake, Las Vegas is trying to survive. — The Associated Press

Sunday, 08:24am

Coronavirus jump-starts call for ideas on low-cost legal services

Those at the highest level of the state’s justice system want to connect more Utahns to free or low-cost legal help as the coronavirus dissolves jobs and stokes fears of eviction. The Utah Supreme Court announced Friday it is bumping up a longtime plan to make the system more fair by allowing non-lawyers to chip in. The state’s high court is calling for pitches from programmers, entrepreneurs or anyone else with ideas on how to help people navigate the complicated court system — no bar license required. One potential example is a tenant-rescue app that analyzes a person or a business’ eviction paperwork and can determine how to respond, get help and issue a quote on attorney fees, said courts spokesman Geoffrey Fattah. — Annie Knox, KSL

Sunday, 07:16am

ICYMI: Catch up on coronavirus developments from yesterday

Millions of people face stimulus check delays for a strange reason: they're poor

166 new COVID-19 cases, 2 deaths reported in Utah on Saturday

Read all of Saturday's coronavirus coverage here.

Coronavirus updates: Census delay could put off new voting districts, primaries

By KSL.com Staff | Updated - April 26, 2020 at 1:52 p.m. | Posted - April 26, 2020 at 7:16 a.m.

(Spenser Heaps, KSL)

Census delay could put off new voting districts, primaries

Utah passes 4,000 total coronavirus cases

Las Vegas struggles to survive the shutdown

Coronavirus jump-starts call for ideas on low-cost legal services

ICYMI: Catch up on coronavirus developments from yesterday

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