Thursday, July 14, 2011

Cuomo Signs Bill Moving New York Presidential Primary to April 24

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New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has signed into law S 5753, moving the Empire state's presidential primary from the first Tuesday in February to the fourth Tuesday in April. New York now joins Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Rhode Island on the last Tuesday in April and will be the biggest, most delegate-rich prize in a northeastern regional that should later include Delaware as well.

New York had traditionally held an April up until the 1996 cycle when Republicans chose delegates in a March primary. The New York legislature moved the presidential primary in the state to February for 2008 but had bipartisan support for the move back to April and into compliance with the national party rules.

This law is set to expire on December 31, 2012 which will leave New York without a presidential primary date for 2016; something that will require legislative action (...probably in 2015). That is all the more interesting considering the speculation surrounding a potential Cuomo run in 2016.



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