Virginia Delegate Mark Cole (R-Fredericksburg) has introduced HB 1507, to move the 2011 primary from June 14 to September 13. Virginia holds elections for state office in odd years, including 2011, of course. The reason for the bill is that there is little time for states with odd year elections for state office to draw new district boundaries after a census. The new boundaries probably won’t exist until July. Even if the legislature rushes a new redistricting plan, the Voting Rights Section of the U.S. Justice Department must approve the new boundaries.

The bill would also change the petition deadline for independent candidates, and the nominees of unqualified parties, from June to September. A federal law passed by Congress in 2009, to help overseas absentee voters, has the effect of requiring all states to eventually hold primaries no later than August. However, that bill only controls federal elections. Therefore, Virginia is free to hold September primaries in 2011, a year when only state office is on the ballot.