HB1128--PRIMARYELECTIONS
SPONSOR: Simmons
Thisbillprovidesthatnopersonwillbeentitledtovoteina
primaryelectionofanestablishedpoliticalpartyunlesstheir
voterregistrationestablishedaffiliationwithsaidpartyatleast
23weekspriortothedateoftheelection.
Undertheprovisionsofthisbill,acandidate,acampaign
committee,orapoliticalpartycommitteecanrequestfromthe
SecretaryofStatethepoliticalpartyaffiliationsofvoterswho
appliedforanabsenteeballot.
Registeredvotersmustselectapartyaffiliationbeforethe23rd
Tuesdaypriortothedateoftheelectioninordertoselectthat
party'sballotattheprimaryelection. Ifavoterchangestheir
partyregistrationwithin23weeksofapartyprimaryelection,
theywillonlybeentitledtovotetheballotofthepartywith
whichtheywereregisteredpriortotheirchangeofregistration.
AnypersonnotpreviouslyregisteredinthisStatemustselect
theirpartyaffiliationbythefourthWednesdaypriortothe
primaryelectioninordertoselectthatparty'sballotatthe
primaryelection.
Votersvotingin-personorabsenteewhoareunaffiliatedwitha
politicalpartywillonlybeentitledtocastanunaffiliated
ballot.
Anypersonwhofilesadeclarationofcandidacyorisselectedbya
partynominatingcommitteeasacandidateinaprimaryelection
mustbeaffiliatedwiththatpoliticalparty,asevidencedbyhis
orhervoterregistration,nolaterthan23weekspriortothe
lastTuesdayinFebruaryimmediatelyprecedingtheprimary
election. Anypersonwhofilesadeclarationofcandidacyasan
independentcandidateorasthecandidateofanewpoliticalparty
mustbeunaffiliatedwithanestablishedparty,asevidencedbyhis
orhervoterregistrationnolaterthanthe23rdTuesdaypriorto
theopeningdateofcandidatefilingfortheprimaryelection.
Nolaterthan19weekspriortotheprimaryelectiondatethe
SecretaryofStatemustdistributealistofeligiblevotersfor
eachpoliticalpartytolocalelectionauthorities. Anypolitical
partyentitledtoballotaccessisallowedtoexemptitselffroma
protectedprimaryandconductapartycaucusatitsownexpense.
TheStatemustpaythecostsofimplementingandprovidingnotice
oftheclosedprimarysystem. ProvisionsofthisbillhaveaJanuary1,2028,delayedeffective
date.
ThisbillissimilartoHB31(2023)andHB1410(2024).