Rep. Troy Introduces Bill to Bring Consistency to Ohio's Primary Election Dates

COLUMBUS– State Representative Daniel P. Troy (D-Willowick) today introduced legislation to move Ohio’s presidential election year primary election date to the same date as the non-presidential election year primary date — the first Tuesday after the first Monday in May.

“Every fourth year, we schedule our primary election in mid-March, allegedly for the purposes of Ohio being more of a player in the presidential primary races. Ohio’s influence on that process has proven to be dubious at best, and it’s time to return to a normal and consistent election schedule,” said Rep. Troy.

Rep. Troy indicated that the benefits of approving this change are several. Among them: 

Candidates for all federal, state, and county offices will not have to be filing petitions for nomination to be on the November ballot, almost 11 months prior to that actual election in the preceding calendar year. 
Voter confusion will be minimized with a consistent date every spring (and assuredly better weather).
With the redistricting process looming again, it provides more time to get all the ducks in a row before filing deadlines (God forbid two primaries again). 
It will shorten the election season and potentially allow more time for governing and less time for partisan politics. 

Rep. Troy’s proposal has already received support from the leaders of the Ohio Association of Election Officials.

“We applaud Representative Troy for introducing legislation to move Ohio’s presidential primary to May.  For too many years, the presidential primary has been a moving target, creating confusion for voters, poll workers, election officials and candidates alike,” said Ohio Association of Election Officials President Sherry Poland.

“Consistency is a key ingredient for successful elections, and the shifting dates for the presidential primary has long caused significant issues planning these elections. Recently, Ohio’s presidential primary was held on St. Patrick’s Day, a move that highlighted why Ohio should stick with May for all of its primary elections,” added Paul Adams, First Vice-President of the Ohio Association of Election Officials.

Including himself, the introduced measure has nine Ohio House co-sponsors representing both parties. 

“I believe it is imperative and important that we schedule elections for the ease and the convenience of the citizens and folks that have to administer them. We’ve just finished a most bizarre election year that not only confused voters, but also discouraged participation. The citizens, the “We the People” should be our main concern in scheduling and conducting elections, not the national political parties and the cadre of national political nominating convention delegate wannabe’s,” Rep Troy concluded.