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Lawmakers debate restoring presidential primary and expanding in‑person early voting to six weeks
Summary
Representatives Rudy Veith and Brad Bannerman jointly presented bills to reinstate a presidential primary and to extend in‑person no‑excuse early voting from two to six weeks. Sponsors and witnesses argued reinstatement would increase participation and accessibility; clerks warned about overlapping municipal elections and staffing demands.
Representatives Rudy Veith and Brad Bannerman presented a combined proposal to restore a presidential preference primary and expand no‑excuse in‑person early voting to a six‑week window. Veith said restoring the primary would “get people involved” and noted the change is aimed at voters who cannot or do not attend caucuses. “We want people to feel involved,” he told the committee.
Bannerman described the bills’ two central changes: moving the presidential primary date earlier in March (the sponsors said as early as legally permissible without violating party rules) and extending in‑person, no‑excuse absentee voting from two weeks to six weeks. Bannerman said the earlier March date reduces overlap with April municipal elections and argued wider early voting improves access for…
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