On January 10, five Washington State Senators introduced SB 5096, which provides that political parties should pay the administrative costs of their own primaries. The bill’s main author is Republican Bob McCaslin, who has the most seniority of any State Senator. The four co-sponsors are all Democrats: Chris Marr, Tim Sheldon, Brian Hatfield and Marilyn Rasmussen. The bill has a hearing in the Senate Govt. Operations Committee on Thursday, Jan. 25, at 3:30 pm. The bill does not actually give major parties the right to nominate by a means other than primary. If it is to be taken seriously, it needs some amendments.

On January 17, Nebraska State Senator Kent Rogert introduced LD 539, on the subject of independent presidential petitions. The bill would eliminate the primary screen-out. Nebraska lets any registered voter sign for an independent candidate, except that independent presidential candidates cannot obtain signatures from people who voted in the primary. If the bill passes, there will be no Nebraska primary screen-out for any petitions. The bill also moves the petition deadline forward to August 1.

Minnesota State Senator John Marty, who has been a Senator for 20 years, has introduced SF 39. It would provide that all federal, state and local elections in Minnesota would use Instant-Runoff Voting, as soon as the Secretary of State had certified that the state is able to handle the project. SF 39 already has 4 co-sponsors. Marty is a Democrat from Roseville, a suburb of St. Paul.