Rep. Dovilla Announces House Passage of Presidential Primary Election Bill

State Representative Mike Dovilla (R-Berea) today announced that legislation he sponsored to move back the date of Ohio’s presidential primary election by one week passed the Ohio House today.

Currently, Ohio’s primary elections during presidential years are held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March. Next year, that falls on March 8.  House Bill 153 would change that date to be the second Tuesday after the first Monday in March, next year March 15.

"This straightforward legislation will change by a single week the date on which Ohio conducts its presidential primary," said Dovilla. "This simple change will allow the Buckeye State to send the strongest possible delegation to the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland."

Under new rules adopted by the Republican National Committee, states that hold their primaries within the first two weeks of March are subject to proportional allocation of delegates. In order to maintain Ohio’s national prominence during the presidential primary season, H.B. 153 shifts the primary date back only one week, just outside the March 1-14 window.

In addition, the legislation provides one extra week during which board of elections officials in Ohio’s 88 counties can be trained and prepared.

Having passed the House, the bill now moves to the Ohio Senate for further consideration.