On March 22, the Arizona Judiciary Committee passed SB 1430. It moves the Arizona primary from mid-September to early September. Because Arizona ties the independent candidate petition deadline to the same date that primary candidates must file, the bill indirectly makes the independent candidate petition deadline earlier than it has been. The bill has already passed the Senate.

Arizona already has the 2nd earliest independent presidential petition deadline in the nation (only Texas is earlier). This bill, in some presidential election years, would have the petition due in late May instead of early June. The issue of the deadline is already pending in the 9th circuit in Nader v Brewer (briefs have been filed, but a hearing date hasn’t been set yet). It is ironic that a bill would pass, making the deadline even worse, while the issue is pending in court.

The sponsor, Senator Karen Johnson, says she doesn’t want to make things worse for independent candidates, yet so far she has failed to amend her bill. She could easily do so, by adding a provision that cuts the link between the petition deadline for independent candidates and the petition deadline for candidates getting on a primary ballot. Senator Johnson’s phone number is 602-926-3160. Please telephone her office and ask that she amend SB 1430 so that it does not injure independent candidates.