While the discussion of moving Pennsylvania’s primary date is still ongoing in the state legislature, a majority of PoliticsPA readers believe it is time to move on from the current date.
40% of votes in the PoliticsPA poll support Senate Bill 779, which would move the current primary date from the fourth Tuesday in April up to the third Tuesday in March in all presidential election years, starting in 2024. 34% voted in the poll to move the primary date even earlier than the third Tuesday in March, while just 21% voted that the current primary date should be kept as is. Lastly, 6% voted that the primary date should be between the third Tuesday in March and the current date.
In total, 79% of the votes signaled that the current primary date should be changed for 2024 presidential election, while just 21% voted to keep the current date.
State Sen. John Gordner (R-Columbia), who is the sponsor of Senate Bill 779, said he believes his legislation would provide Pennsylvanians voters to play a bigger role in selecting their party’s nominee. Although the state Senate unanimously approved the bill, CNHI news service reports that the proposal “appears headed for a struggle in the state House,” citing state government chairman, state Rep. Garth Everett (R-Lycoming) saying a lot of his colleagues don’t see the point of moving the date.
394 people weighed in on this poll.
Reader Poll: Should PA Move Its Primary Date?
- Yes, Third Tuesday in March (40%)
- Yes, Even Earlier Than the Third Tuesday in March (34%)
- No, Keep it as is. (21%)
- Yes, Between the Third Tuesday in March and the Current Date (6%)
Loading ...
Loading ...
2 Responses
While they’re reforming the 1937 PA Election Code, they should change the RIDICULOUSLY short one week time to file petition challenges . unless you’re a rich and powerful campign , you simply cannot jump through all the unfriendly hoops decreed by Dept. of State Bureau of Elections and Commonwealth Court for statewide candidate challenges. ( including their closing the Election dept. doors at 3 pm on the day challenges are due .. and refusing to clock in commerical messenger deliveries like UPS or FEDEX on the same date as the messenger’s date and time stamp ShoW it as being delivered. )
Democracy is requisite for the life of our country. Primaries grew sixty-five years ago and are seen as a proper exercise in democracy and the choosing of candidates. The news media loves them – as talk shows have replaced news. It is crazy that New Hampshire, which has now been replaced by Iowa as the first with it caucuses, have so VERY much input to the race for the white house. The selection of Trump and now the anointment of Bernie point out the folly of this democratic idea. It is time to change.