Alabama State Senator Quinton Ross (D-Montgomery) has introduced SB 240.  It moves the primary for president and all other office, during presidential election years, from the 2nd Tuesday in March to the 1st Tuesday in March.  Even though the bill is re-enacting the law that says runoff primaries are six weeks after the first primary, the bill does not amend that part of the law.  Yet the Eleventh Circuit has already ruled that Alabama is violating federal law by having the primary and the runoff primary so close together.  Perhaps this means that Alabama is planning to ask the U. S. Supreme Court to overturn the Eleventh Circuit decision, United States v State of Alabama.

UPDATE:  the Secretary of State’s office says a bill will be introduced to move the date of the runoff primary.  In the meantime, three Republican Representatives, Mike Ball, Steve McMillan, and David Standridge, have introduced HB 79.  It abolishes runoff primaries.

If SB 240 passes, the petition for newly-qualifying parties and non-presidential candidates will be even earlier than it already is.  Thanks to Josh Putnam for the news about SB 240.