Although filing for a few presidential primaries opens in little more than six months from now, the date of the presidential primary is still not settled in thirteen states.

In Colorado, Georgia, and New Hampshire, a state official chooses the date, and the person with authority to set the date has not made a decision yet.

In Connecticut, Idaho, Kansas, Maryland, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Oregon, and Pennsylvania, the date can’t be known yet because the legislature is considering bills to change the date and the results are unpredictable at this time.

South Carolina is the only state in which the Democratic and Republican presidential primaries are not necessarily on the same date. Democrats vote on February 3, but Republicans don’t know yet when their primary will be.

On March 22, the Ohio House Constitutional Resolutions Committee heard HJR 1. It makes it more difficult for initiatives to change the state constitution. It requires signatures from all 88 counties (the number in each county would be 5% of the number of registered voters), and says they must pass with 60% of the vote. Also it eliminates the existing provision for a “cure period”, which means if the initiative lacks enough valid signatures, the proponents have an opportunity to collect more signatures.

The measure has 35 sponsors, all Republicans. See this story about the hearing. The committee hasn’t voted yet.