Idaho Bill for a More Closed Republican Primary Advances

Posted on by February 16, 2022
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On February 15, the Idaho House State Affairs Committee passed HB 439. Current law lets independent voters affiliate with the Republican Party on primary day if they wish to vote in that day’s Republican primary. The bill says that independents can no longer do that unless they have joined the Republican Party several months before the primary.

If the bill passes, it would not affect the ability of independents to choose a Democratic Party primary ballot, because the Idaho Democratic Party has long asserted its right to let independents vote in its primary.

Pennsylvania Primary Petitioning Period May be Shrunk from Three Weeks to Two Weeks

Posted on by February 16, 2022
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Normally, Pennsylvania candidates seeking a spot on a primary ballot must petition inside a 3-week window. This year, the State Elections office wants to cut that period to just two weeks. Yet the office doesn’t recommend that the number of signatures be any less. See this story.

In Pennsylvania, only parties with at least 15% registration membership are entitled to have primaries, so this problem only affects Republicana and Democrats.

Tennessee Bill, Requiring Party Nominees for Congress to Have Voted in Last Three Elections in that State, Advances

Posted on by February 16, 2022
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On February 15, the Tennessee Senate State & Local Government passed SB 2616 by a vote of 5-1. It says that political parties cannot nominate anyone for either house of congress, if that person had not voted in Tennessee in each of the last three statewide general elections. Thanks to ElectionLawBlog for this news.