Illinois Representative Elaine Nekritz (D-Northbrook) has introduced HB 4964, the move the Illinois primary from the first week in February, back to the third week in March. Currently, Illinois is about to hold the earliest congressional primary in midterm years (February 2, 2010) in U.S. history.

Representative Nekritz also introduced HB 5039, to move the petition deadline for candidates running in primaries from 92 days before the primary, to 102 days before the primary. All candidates qualify for partisan primary ballots in Illinois with petitions, and elections officials are having trouble processing petitions, especially challenged petitions, with a deadline that is 3 months before the primary. It is likely that some Illinois state legislator will soon introduce a bill to set up a filing fee procedure alternative for candidates running in primaries.

If the Illinois legislature passes HB 5039, but not HB 4964, Illinois candidates in partisan primaries will need to file petitions in October of the odd year before the election. In other words, to run in an election, primary candidates will need to have completed a petition 13 months before the general election. See this story.