Oregon State Senator Lee Beyer (D-Springfield) has introduced SB 328. Currently, Oregon holds its presidential primary and its primary for other office in May. The bill would keep the presidential primary in May, but would move the primary for other office to the third Tuesday of September.
The bill would have no impact on minor parties or independent candidates, because minor parties nominate by convention (except that the Independent Party will almost certainly nominate by primary in 2016). Also the petition deadline for newly-qualifying parties and independent candidates, which is in August, is not tied to the date of the primary. Thanks to Josh Putnam for this news.
So in other words, there would be two primaries in presidential election years – wonderful news for the taxpayers who foot the bill for them, I am sure. We need legislation to require that the political parties pay the costs of their own primaries.
Yes, quite a few states hold a presidential primary early in the year and primary for other office later in the year. New York is craziest of all; current law says there will be an early primary for president, a June primary for Congress, and a September primary for state and local office.