The U.S. recorded more than 312,000 cases of the coronavirus as officials and party leaders ponder alternate ways to hold elections and national conventions during a pandemic that could persist for months.

As of Sunday morning, the death toll surpassed 8,500 in the country, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University . New York state remains the epicenter in the U.S. with a total of 114,000 coronavirus cases and more than 3,500 deaths.

With no imminent signs of slowing down, the coronavirus pandemic has forced political leaders to reconsider how to hold future elections as well as massive gatherings like national party conventions which convene tens of thousands of people to nominate presidential nominees.

Photos: America at Standstill View All 30 Images

The Democratic National Committee announced Thursday the delay of its national convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from July to August as it weighs how to make changes to protect attendees from the virus. Both Democrats and Republicans are now slated to hold their respective conventions in August, but have yet to openly discuss any potential changes as they assess the longevity of the outbreak.

Even as the DNC pushed back the date, Democratic front-runner Joe Biden said the party may need to consider holding a virtual convention. The unprecedented change would be a dramatic step since the conventions typically feature a lot of pomp and circumstance when naming the nominee and are structured to set the tone heading into the general election.

"We're going to have to do a convention – we may have to do a virtual convention. I think we should be thinking about that right now," the former vice president told ABC's George Stephanopoulos Sunday morning. "The idea of holding a convention is going to be necessary but we may not be able to put 10- 20- 30,000 people in one place and that's very possible."

The outbreak of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, has also raised major concerns about voters casting ballots in person.

Despite a statewide stay-at-home order, Wisconsin appears on track to hold its primary on Tuesday after the Republican-controlled legislature rejected a last-minute plea from the governor to delay it and use only mail-in ballots.

Democratic Gov. Tony Evers called the state legislature into a special session on Saturday afternoon to consider changing the primary into an all-mail election and move the deadline to receive ballots to late May. But both chambers of the state legislature gaveled in and adjourned within seconds without considering Evers' proposal to curb in-person voting. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that the governor is unlikely to unilaterally postpone the election by using emergency powers.

Evers had come under pressure from local party leaders to delay the primary after a dozen states moved their elections to later dates. But Republicans in the state were opposed to sending mail ballots to all registered voters, especially those who hadn't requested one.

Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who has remained in the presidential race despite a big disadvantage in pledged delegates, had also called for the delay. When asked Sunday about Wisconsin proceeding with its in-person election, Biden said "whatever the science says is what we should do." He added that it's time to consider how to hold elections going forward during the pandemic including an expanded vote-by-mail operation.