HCSHBs267&347--PRESIDENTIALPREFERENCEPRIMARY
SPONSOR: Buchheit-Courtway
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPasswithHCS"bytheSpecial
CommitteeonPublicPolicybyavoteof4to0.
ThefollowingisasummaryoftheHouseCommitteeSubstituteforHB
267.
Thisbillreinstatesthepresidentialpreferenceprimaryelection,
tobeheldstatewideonthesecondTuesdayafterthefirstMonday
inMarchofeachpresidentialelectionyear.
Anyonewhofilesarequesttobeincludedonthepresidential
primaryballotisnotprohibitedfromfilingorappearingonany
ballotasapartycandidatefornominationtoanotheroffice.
Thebillspecifiesthatonorbeforethe10thTuesdaypriortothe
dateofthepresidentialpreferenceprimary,theSecretaryofState
shallannouncetheofficiallistofpresidentialcandidatesfor
eachestablishedpoliticalparty.
Allcostsofapresidentialpreferenceprimaryshallbepaidbythe
state,exceptthat,costsshallbesharedproportionately bythe
stateandanypoliticalsubdivisionsandspecialdistrictsholding
anelectiononthesamedayasanysuchprimary. Foranycounty
withmorethan500pollingplaces,thestateshallassistin
assuringadequatepollworkersandequipment.
Thefollowingisasummaryofthepublictestimonyfromthe
committeehearing. Thetestimonywasbasedontheintroduced
versionofthebill.
PROPONENTS: SupporterssaythatThisbillwillencouragemore
participationinvotingforleadership. Citizenswerenotin
supportofeliminatingtheprimaryandwantitrestored. Thisbill
supportseveryvoicebeingheardandhasbipartisansupport. The
caucusprocessisconfusinganddiscouragingformanycitizens,
withsomehavingtraumaticexperiencesattendingthem.Aprimary
bringsbackorganizationtotheprocess.
TestifyinginpersonforthebillwereRepresentative Buchheit-
Courtway;MissouriFraternalOrderofPolice;JenniferE.Spena;
ElizabethGrunick,LincolnCountyRepublicanCentralCommittee;
NickMyers,MissouriRepublicanParty;JonathanBorges;MoFarm
Bureau;DavidCourtway;GaryGrunick;JameyMurphy,MOGOPState
Committee;JoshuaDunne,MDPRuralCaucus;KurtWitzel;M.Leann
Green,MissouriRepublicanParty;MarilynMcLeod,LeagueofWomen VotersofMo;RussCarnahan,MoDemocraticParty;ShlleySwoyer;
ZackaryDunn,MissouriandKansasLaborersDistrictCouncil.
OPPONENTS: Thosewhoopposethebillsaythathavinga
presidentialprimaryonadatethatissoclosetoanotherelection
ballotwillbeconfusingforvoters.Thereisalreadysituations
wherevoterswillmailinballotsfordifferentelectionsand
thereforenothavingtherevotecount.Addingthepresidential
primaryonthedatespecifiedinthebillwouldcausethis
situationtooccurmoreoften.
TestifyinginpersonagainstthebillwasMoAssociationofCounty
Clerks&ElecitonAuthorities.
OTHERS:Otherstestifyingonthebillsaytheprimarydoesnot
bindthedelegatestopickthewinnerasthenominee. Thecostof
aprimaryincreaseseverypresidentialelectioncycle,however,the
costoftheprimarywoulddecreaseifthedateischangedtowhen
anotherelectionishappening. Havingtwoelectionsthreeweeks
apartwillbeverydifficulttoadministerforcounties.
TestifyinginpersononthebillwereEricFey,St.LouisCounty
ElectionBoard;Sec.JayAshcroft;RickStream,St.LouisCounty
ElectionBoard;andDianeThompson,
Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonyandwitnessestestifyingonlinecanbefound
underTestimonyonthebillpageontheHousewebsite.