On March 25, the Vermont legislature passed S.117, which moves the primary from September to August. Unfortunately, the bill also moves the deadline for independent candidate petitions to the second Thursday after the first Monday in June. Even presidential independent petitions would be due on that date in mid-June. The bill takes effect immediately. This year the deadline is June 17.

Courts in four states have ruled that June is too early for independent presidential petitions. The cases are from Arizona, South Dakota, Kansas, and Nevada. The Secretary of State’s office acknowledges there is a legal problem with a June petition deadline for independent presidential candidates, but says that can be fixed in 2011.