Oklahoma State Senator Brian Crain (R-Tulsa) has introduced SB 233. It moves the presidential primary from the first Tuesday in March to the fourth Tuesday in March. For 2016, that would mean a shift from March 1 to March 22. Thanks to E. Zachary Knight for this news.
On January 19, the Virginia Senate Campaigns Subcommittee defeated SB 766 by 4-2. This is the bill that would lower the statewide non-presidential petitions from 10,000 to 5,000. The presidential petitions are currently at 5,000. All the Republicans voted “no” and all the Democrats voted “yes.” Thanks to Bill Redpath for this news.
Political scientist Eric Ostermeier, whose blog “Smart Politics” analyzes new and interesting electoral phenomena, has this analysis of the Libertarian Party showings for U.S. Senate in 2014.
On January 9, Pennsylvania State Senator Mike Folmer (R-Lebanon) was appointed Chair of the Senate State Government Committee. This is the committee that hears election law bills. Folmer has been the leading legislative champion of ballot access reform in Pennsylvania starting in 2009. He introduced ballot access improvement bills in 2009, 2011, and 2013, and intends to do so again this year.
His bill never got a committee hearing in the past, but now that he is the Chair of the Committee, that won’t be a problem. Folmer did hold informal hearings on the bill in his own district office in the past, to gain publicity for the bill, but of course a formal legislative hearing is far more useful.
Also the Pennsylvania Ballot Access Coalition, which has had an inactive web page for many years, is about to launch a new web page that will be current.
Oregon State Senator Lee Beyer (D-Springfield) has introduced SB 328. Currently, Oregon holds its presidential primary and its primary for other office in May. The bill would keep the presidential primary in May, but would move the primary for other office to the third Tuesday of September.
The bill would have no impact on minor parties or independent candidates, because minor parties nominate by convention (except that the Independent Party will almost certainly nominate by primary in 2016). Also the petition deadline for newly-qualifying parties and independent candidates, which is in August, is not tied to the date of the primary. Thanks to Josh Putnam for this news.
