The Independent View: Bills To Alter Primaries Update

Thanks to Richard Winger of Ballot Access News for this post.

These Bills Alter or Move Primaries.

Arizona - SB 1456, will allow Independent Voters to choose a Presidential Primary Ballot. Independents can already do that in All Other Primaries.

Idaho - On 2/21/2022, the House passed HB 439. Current Law lets a Voter join a Party as late as Primary Day, then Vote in that Party's Primary. The Bill now says Voters must have joined a Party Two months before the Primary, in order to Vote in the Primary. The Vote was 36-32. The Bill dosen't affect the Democratic Party, who Allow Independents to Vote in their Primaries.

Kentucky - Two Bills by Rep. Buddy Wheatley(D-65th District), would Open Primaries. HB 113 would let Independents Vote in Primaries. HB 193 would ease the Deadline for a Voter to join a Party, from December 31 of the year before the Primary, to 30 Days before the Primary.

Mississippi - On 2/1/2022, HB 373, was Defeated in Committee. It would have substantially raised Candidate Filed Fees. Gubernatorial Candidates would have to Pay $3,000.

Missouri - SB 907 and HB 1450, would change the State from Open to Closed Primaries.

New Hampshire - HB 1166, would somewhat Close Primaries. Current Law lets Independents join a Party on Primary day and then Vote in that Party's Primary. The Bill would require Independents to Join a Party at least Four Months before a Primary. It also says that Parties could Not Nominate anyone who had Not been a Member for at least Six Months. It had a Committee Work Session on 2/23/2022, which suggest it will Advance.

New Jersey - SB 185, would let Independents Vote in Partisan Primaries without having to Join the Party on Primary Day.

New Mexico - HJR 5, which would have let Independents Vote in Primaries, was Defeated in the House Judiciary Committee on 2/6/2022, even though it has passed another Committee earlier.

Pennsylvania - HB 2218, would move the Primary in Presidential years from April to March. This seems to be the only Bill in the Nation to move a Presidential Primary Date. Usally there are lots of Bills on this subject.

South Carolina - On 2/23/2022, the House Judiciary Committee passed HB 4919. It allows Fusion, the ability of Two Parties to jointly Nominate the Same Candidates. The Bill has 51 Co-Sponsors, the House has 124 Members.

Tennessee - On 2/15/2022, the Senate State & Local Government Committee passed SB 2616, an odd Bill that says Political Parties may Not Nominate anyone for Congress who has Not Voted in the last Three Presidential Elections in the State. The Bill Violates the U.S. Supreme Court Ruling, U.S. Term Limits v Thornton, which says that States cannot Add to the Constitutional Qualifications for Congress.