State Primary Date Change Clears Hurdle
A State Senate committee has approved legislation that would move California´s primary election for state and congressional candidates from March to June.
The bill´s author, Senator Ross Johnson of Irvine, says the 8 month gap between the March primary and the general election in November is too long, forcing candidates to decide more than a year before the general election if they want to run for office. Johnson says the long delay between elections also causes voters to lose interest in the campaigns.
California´s presidential primary would remain on the 1st Tuesday in March under Johnson´s bill, meaning that in presidential election years the state would hold 3 statewide elections.