Post by pavel on Jan 31, 2016 0:07:35 GMT -6
A proposed constitutional amendment to allow all registered voters to vote in major-party primary elections advanced Saturday when one Republican sided with Democrats.
Members of the House Government, Elections and Indian Affairs Committee voted 5-3 for the bill. The committee chairman, Rep. Jim Smith, R-Sandia Park, broke ranks to move the proposal forward.
Currently, only people who are registered as Democrats or Republicans can vote in the state’s major primaries. The constitutional amendment sponsored by Democratic Reps. Antonio “Moe” Maestas of Albuquerque and Stephanie Garcia Richard of Los Alamos would change that.
Maestas said in an interview that the exact system for allowing independents and members of minor political parties to vote in Democratic or Republican primaries would have to be worked out through enabling legislation. That would occur if the proposed constitutional amendment is approved by both houses of the Legislature and then by the voters in November.
Read more: www.santafenewmexican.com/news/legislature/republican-joins-dems-to-advance-house-bill-on-open-primaries/article_28fe3b5f-42a9-597a-92a5-18030a7d5edb.html
Members of the House Government, Elections and Indian Affairs Committee voted 5-3 for the bill. The committee chairman, Rep. Jim Smith, R-Sandia Park, broke ranks to move the proposal forward.
Currently, only people who are registered as Democrats or Republicans can vote in the state’s major primaries. The constitutional amendment sponsored by Democratic Reps. Antonio “Moe” Maestas of Albuquerque and Stephanie Garcia Richard of Los Alamos would change that.
Maestas said in an interview that the exact system for allowing independents and members of minor political parties to vote in Democratic or Republican primaries would have to be worked out through enabling legislation. That would occur if the proposed constitutional amendment is approved by both houses of the Legislature and then by the voters in November.
Read more: www.santafenewmexican.com/news/legislature/republican-joins-dems-to-advance-house-bill-on-open-primaries/article_28fe3b5f-42a9-597a-92a5-18030a7d5edb.html