Primary elections; cost and reimbursement to localities. (HB6)
Introduced By
Del. Lee Ware (R-Powhatan) with support from co-patron Del. Chris Peace (R-Mechanicsville)
Progress
✓ |
Introduced |
✗ |
Passed Committee |
☐ |
Passed House |
☐ |
Passed Senate |
☐ |
Signed by Governor |
☐ |
Became Law |
Description
Elections; costs of primaries; reimbursement to localities. Provides that each county and city conducting a primary election at the direction of the Commonwealth shall be reimbursed in full for the costs of the primary election by the proper political party committee. The bill also shifts the costs of a presidential primary election from the Commonwealth to the proper political party committee. Read the Bill »
Outcome
Bill Has Failed
History
| Date | Action |
|---|---|
| 11/18/2013 | Committee |
| 11/18/2013 | Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/08/14 14100595D |
| 11/18/2013 | Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections |
| 01/10/2014 | Assigned P & E sub: Campaign Finance Subcommittee |
| 01/15/2014 | Impact statement from DPB (HB6) |
| 01/15/2014 | Subcommittee recommends laying on the table |
| 01/23/2014 | Impact statement from DPB (HB6) |
| 02/12/2014 | Left in Privileges and Elections |
Comments
If there is a dual primary (two parties holding a primary election on the same day), will the reimbursement be split evenly between the two parties, or will it be pro-rated based on the number of voters in each party's primary in each locality?
For example, in a dual primary held in the City of Charlottesville, 80 percent of those voting will cast their ballots in the Democratic Party's primary, with the remaining 20 percent voting in the Republican Party's primary.
In that case, should the Republican Party pay 50 percent of the cost of the primary or just 20 percent?
In other localities, there could be an uneven distribution of voters with a greater number casting Republican ballots and a lesser number casting Democratic ballots.
The pro rata formula could also be based on the number of Officers of Election deployed from each party at such a dual primary.
This issue does not appear to be addressed in the bill, which seems to assume only one party's primary being conducted at one time.