Biden or Bernie to handle coronavirus? A split at one Seattle ballot box

An NBC News exit poll showed that on Super Tuesday, most voters who were concerned about coronavirus picked Joe Biden.

So what about Washington’s primary today? Will the virus be a factor in your vote?

Here’s what voters at a ballot drop box in Ballard had to say.

Jenny d'Armand is so concerned about coronavirus that she was wearing disposable rubber gloves to drop off her ballot on Monday.

“I have two parents who are in the compromised department, and I want to be able to see them,” said d’Armand, who added she’s in a high-risk group herself.

But she said coronavirus played no role in her decision.

She said she agrees with everything Bernie Sanders says. And her first choice was Elizabeth Warren.

But she’s casting her ballot for Joe Biden.

“I want to get Trump out of office,” she said. “If I know that people I cared for across the board were all solidly pro Bernie, I would vote for Bernie.”

Rachel Reed is for Bernie. She said he would be the best candidate to tackle coronavirus.

“He is working to unify our country, and unity obviously is a huge component of bringing a community together to combat a crisis like this,” Reed said.

Other Sanders supporters said the coronavirus crisis strengthened their conviction that the country needs his Medicare-for-all plan.

But coronavirus? Not a big factor in their votes.

That’s the case for Amanda McPeak, who is voting for Sanders.

“Of all the candidates, I think he’s the most concerned with the health care of the most people,” McPeak said. “I think the most vulnerable population is the one that needs to be cared for now and his perspective on U.S. health care will do the best job on that.”

Nancy Cannon turned up to vote for Joe Biden. She said coronavirus wasn’t her main issue, but ...

“He’s very thoughtful and he’s the kind of guy who would draw people in and get good advice and he believes in science and doesn’t think this is a hoax,” Cannon said. “So he would do a very good job of it.”

If you still want to cast a ballot Tuesday, there is time. It must be postmarked March 10 or returned to a ballot drop box by 8 p.m. Tuesday.