Proposal changes primary dates

Arkansas would hold its primary election in March in presidential election years and in May in gubernatorial election years under legislation clearing an Arkansas Senate committee Thursday.

In a voice vote, the Senate State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee recommended Senate approval of Senate Bill 445 by Sen. Trent Garner, R-El Dorado.

Garner said the state’s trial run with a March presidential primary in 2016 was an overwhelming success and allowed Arkansas to be in the mix in nominating process. He said March elections should be made permanent in presidential election years. (The state also had an early primary in February 2008.)

“The governor is on board with this bill,” he said.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson supports the bill, according to a spokesman. The primary election is traditionally held in late May. Under state law, the date is defined as four weeks before the third Tuesday in June, when the runoff election is held.

At Hutchinson’s request, the Republican-controlled Legislature met in special session in 2015 and shifted the date of the 2016 primary election to March 1. The 2016 session was shifted from February, which would have been its normal start time, to April.

The move was designed to create the so-called “SEC primary” with Southern states and to bolster the role of Arkansas and the region in the presidential primary process. The SEC is the Southeastern Conference, an athletic conference.

In 2016, former Gov. Mike Huckabee lost the state GOP presidential primary, which was won by President Donald Trump. Former first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton won the state Democratic primary.

During presidential election years, the primary election would be held the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March and the runoff election would be the Tuesday four weeks after the primary election under SB445. The primary election would be March 3 in 2020, Garner said.

The party filing period would begin at noon the first Monday in the previous November and end at noon the seventh day thereafter under the bill. The General Assembly would meet in fiscal session starting the second Wednesday in April in presidential election years.

During the years of gubernatorial elections, the primary election would be held its traditional date — the Tuesday in May that is four weeks before the June runoff election.

In gubernatorial election years, the party filing period would start at noon one week before March 1 and end at noon March 1. The General Assembly would meet in fiscal session starting the second Monday in February in these years.

Under SB445, school elections would be held either on the primary election date or the general election date in even-numbered years. In odd-numbered years, school elections would be on the first Tuesday following the first Monday in November or the third Tuesday in May in odd-numbered years.

Lindsey Bailey, legal counsel for the Association of Arkansas Counties, said county clerks are worried the legislation would create voter confusion about when the primary election is held.

“A lot of the clerks aren’t thrilled about the aspect of moving the primary to March” because they have many tasks at the start of the year, she said.

But Sen. Bob Ballinger, R-Hindsville, said after the state holds the presidential primaries in March and the gubernatorial primaries in May for many years, “at some point, that pattern will become just ingrained to the way we do things in Arkansas.”

Afterward, state Republican Party Chairman Doyle Webb said “We support giving Arkansas Republicans and Democrats the opportunity to demonstrate their presidential preferences early in the process as we did in 2016 in the SEC/Super Tuesday.”

Reed Brewer, a spokesman for the state Democratic Party, said the party hasn’t taken a position on the legislation.

“Given that the Democrats will have a contested presidential primary in 2020, it would be an excellent opportunity for Arkansans to have an early say in the nomination process. However, moving the primary election would elongate the general election which might place a strain on candidates here in the state,” he said.

“Given that the Democrats will have a contested presidential primary in 2020, it would be an excellent opportunity for Arkansans to have an early say in the nomination process.”

— Reed Brewer, state Democratic Party