On March 6, the California Assembly passed SB 113 by a vote of 46-29. It now goes to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has already said he will sign it. It moves the presidential primary from June to February 5, while retaining June as the primary for all other office. This is the first time California will have had two regularly-scheduled statewide primaries since 1940. Back then, the California presidential primary was in May and the primary for other office was in August.
On March 6, the Illinois House Elections & Campaign Reform Committee passed HB 426, the bill to move the primary (for all office) from March to February 5.
On March 6, Colorado SB 83 passed the State Senate on 2nd reading. It will probably pass on 3rd reading on March 7. The bill expands who can circulate petitions, and it also gives qualified minor parties more freedom to nominate whom they please.
This seems to be the first ballot access improvement bill that has made any significant headway this year in any state legislative body. Ballot access improvement bills are also pending in Arkansas, Illinois, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and West Virginia (this list doesn’t include bills to expand fusion).
On March 5, New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver said he will soon introduce a bill to move the New York presidential primary from March to February 5. Thanks to Tony Roza for this news.
California law requires that a group wishing to qualify itself as a political party must first notify the Secretary of State. On March 2, Unity08 filed the required notice.
