On February 23, the South Dakota Senate Commerce & Energy Committee defeated HB 1116. It would have moved the presidential primary from June to early March. It would have retained the June date for the non-presidential primary. The bill had passed the House on February 15. County election officials testified against the bill, citing the cost of holding two different primaries in the same election year.
On March 3, the South Carolina House passed HB 4919. Among other things, it outlaws fusion (the ability of two parties to jointly nominate the same candidate).
According to this story, fewer than 18% of registered voters voted in the March 1, 2022 Texas primaries. The low turnout was barely higher than the 2018 primary turnout. Thanks to Political Wire for the link.
On March 3, a bill was introduced in the Arizona legislature, passed unanimously in both houses, and signed by the Governor. It eases the number of signatures needed by legislative candidates for 2022 only. The bill has no effect in some districts but lowers the number of signatures in other districts. Here is a description of House Bill 2839.
On March 2, U.S. District Court Judge Richard Myers expedited Congressman Madison Cawthorn’s lawsuit on whether a North Carolina Board of Elections can hear a challenge to his qualifications. The Cawthorn case will be heard Friday, March 4, at 10:30 a.m. Cawthorn wants the hearing on his qualifications stopped. The challenge to his qualifications is based on the Fourteenth Amendment, section three, concerning insurrection.
