Friday, May 13, 2011

Missouri House Passes Conference Committee Report, Moving Presidential Primary to March

On the final day of the state legislative session, the Missouri House took up and passed the conference committee substitute to SB 282. After a bit of a rollercoaster ride, the final version of the bill includes a provision to move the presidential primary in the Show Me state back to the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March. The original version of the bill contained the same provision, but was later amended on the floor of the Senate to anchor the primary to New Hampshire (placing the Missouri contest a week after the first in the nation primary).

The final version has now been approved by both chambers of the Missouri General Assembly and moves on the Governor Jay Nixon for his consideration. If signed, Missouri would join Oklahoma, Tennessee and Virginia as states to shift from February primary dates to primaries on March 6. That result is likely because the move would bring Missouri into compliance with national party delegate selection rules.


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