North Carolina SB 372: Later Primary.

Bill Text

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA 
SESSION 2001 
S 1 
SENATE BILL 372 
  
 
  
  
Short Title:    Later Primary. (Public) 
Sponsors:  Senators  Thomas;    Albertson,  Ballance,  Ballantine,  Bingham,  Carter,  
Cunningham,  Dalton,  Forrester,  Foxx,  Hagan,  Harris,  Hartsell,  Kerr,  
Metcalf, Rand, Robinson, Swindell, Warren, and Weinstein. 
Referred to:   Judiciary II. 
March 8, 2001 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 
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AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR A LATER PRIMARY DATE SO AS TO REDUCE THE 
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LENGTH OF CAMPAIGNS, AND TO PLACE THE PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY 
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CLOSE TO THOSE OF OTHER SOUTHERN STATES. 
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The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 
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SECTION 1. G.S. 163-1(b) reads as rewritten: 
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"(b)     On  Tuesday  next  after  the  first  Monday  in  May
  the  first  Tuesday  in  August  7 
preceding  each  general  election  to  be  held  in  November  for  the  officers  referred  to  in  
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subsection  (a)  of  this  section,  there  shall  be  held  in  all  election  precincts  within  the  
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territory  for  which  the  officers  are  to  be  elected  a  primary  election  for  the  purpose  of  
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nominating candidates for each political party in the State for those offices." 
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SECTION 2. G.S. 163-111(e) reads as rewritten: 
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"(e)     Date of Second Primary; Procedures. – If a second primary is required under 
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the  provisions  of  this  section,  the  appropriate  board  of  elections,  State  or  county,  shall  
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order  that  it  be  held  four  weeks  after  the  first  primary.
  primary,  except  if  the  second  15 
primary would fall on the day after Labor Day, it shall instead be held five weeks after 
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the first primary.
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There  shall  be  no  registration  of  voters  between  the  dates  of  the  first  and  second  
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primaries. Persons whose qualifications to register and vote mature after the day of the 
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first  primary  and  before  the  day  of  the  second  primary  may  register  on  the  day  of  the  
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second  primary  and,  when  thus  registered,  shall  be  entitled  to  vote  in  the  second  
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primary.  The  second  primary  is  a  continuation  of  the  first  primary  and  any  voter  who  
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files  a  proper  and  timely  affidavit  of  transfer  of  precinct,  under  the  provisions  of  G.S.  
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163-72(c),  before  the  first  primary  may  vote  in  the  second  primary  without  having  to  
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refile the affidavit of transfer if he is otherwise qualified to vote in the second primary. 
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GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 2001 
Page 2 Senate Bill 372 - First Edition 
Subject  to  this  provision  for  registration,  the  second  primary  shall  be  held  under  the  1 
laws, rules, and regulations provided for the first primary." 
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SECTION 3. G.S. 163-106(c) reads as rewritten: 
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"(c)     Time  for  Filing  Notice  of  Candidacy.  –  Candidates  seeking  party  primary  
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nominations for the following offices shall file their notice of candidacy with the State 
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Board  of  Elections  no  earlier  than  12:00  noon  on  the  first  Mo
nday  in  January  first 6 
Monday  in  May
  and  no  later  than  12:00  noon  on  the  first  Monday  in  February  last  7 
Friday in May
 preceding the primary: 8 
Governor 
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Lieutenant Governor 
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All State executive officers 
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Justices of the Supreme Court, Judges of the Court of Appeals 
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Judges of the district courts 
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United States Senators 
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Members of the House of Representatives of the United States 
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District attorneys 
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Candidates  seeking  party  primary  nominations  for  the  following  offices  shall  file  
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their notice of candidacy with the county board of elections no earlier than 12:00 noon 
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on the first Monday in  January
 May and no later than 12:00 noon on the first Monday 19 
in February
 last Friday in May preceding the primary: 20 
State Senators 
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Members of the State House of Representatives 
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All county offices." 
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SECTION 4. G.S. 163-323(b) reads as rewritten: 
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"(b)     Time  for  Filing  Notice  of  Candidacy.  –  Candidates  seeking  election  to  the  
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following  offices  shall  file  their  notice  of  candidacy  with  the  State  Board  of  Elections  
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no earlier than 12:00 noon on the first Monday in January
 first Monday in May and no 27 
later than 12:00 noon on the first Monday in February
 last Friday in May preceding the 28 
election: 
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Judges of the superior courts." 
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SECTION 5.  G.S. 163-98 reads as rewritten: 
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"§ 163-98.  General election participation by new political party. 
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In  the  first  general  election  following  the  date  on  which  a  new  political  party  
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qualifies under the provisions of G.S. 163-96, it shall be entitled to have the names of its 
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candidates  for  State,  congressional,  and  national  offices  printed  on  the  official  ballots,  
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but  it  shall  not  be  entitled  to  have  the  names  of  candidates  for  other  offices  printe