Governor Scott Signs Florida Elections Bill, Creates Presidential Preference Primary Date Selection Committee

Thursday afternoon, Florida Governor Rick Scott signed HB 1355 ushering in some sweeping changes to the state's elections law, but also creating a Presidential Preference Primary Date Selection Committee. The committee will take over the responsibility of setting the date of the presidential primary in the Sunshine state from the state legislature. This provides the state with more flexibility in setting the date outside of the restrictions of the short, early-year legislative session in Florida.

The committee will be comprised of nine members (three each chosen by the governor, Senate President Mike Haridopolos and House Speaker Dean Cannon -- all Republicans) and will have at least three Democratic members. The committee will have until October 1 to select a date (some date between the first Tuesday in January and the first Tuesday in March) for the primary.

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The move shifts Florida, like Georgia, into the "no date" category on FHQ's 2012 presidential primary calendar map and move Florida off the January 31 line on the calendar itself.

Look back on the progress of the bill and the other Florida primary details by clicking here.

Thanks to Richard Winger at Ballot Access News for passing this news along.

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