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2012 SESSION

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SB 244 Primary elections; adds party affiliation to information an applicant to provide when registering.

Introduced by: Mark D. Obenshain | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:

Primary elections; voter registration by political party.  Adds party affiliation to the information that an applicant is asked to provide when registering to vote. The applicant may indicate that he is an independent. The bill requires the State Board of Elections, in September 2012, to notify all registered voters of the new party registration law and send them a return card to indicate their party affiliation or independent status. Voters may change their party affiliation or independent status by written notice at any time before the registration records are closed in advance of an election. The state party chairman must notify the State Board by January 31 of each year whether the party will close or open its primaries. Further, the bill (i) adds a requirement that primary candidate petitions must be signed by voters registered as members of the party conducting the primary, (ii) sets the required number of petition signatures at one percent of the number of voters registered as members of the party in the election district where the primary is being held, and (iii) allows an official political party to retain that status so long as at least 15 percent of the Commonwealth's registered voters are registered as members of that party.  The bill was incorporated into SB 62.  


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