Rhode Island Presidential Primary to April 24

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Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chaffee (I) on Friday, July 1, signed SB 399 into law. The bill moves the Ocean state's presidential primary from the first Tuesday in March to the fourth Tuesday in April, bringing the state in line with the primary in Pennsylvania. Legislation to move presidential primaries to the same date has been passed and is awaiting gubernatorial approval in Connecticut, Delaware and New York. All five states, blue states in 2008 and under nearly unanimous Democratic control, should all benefit from the bonus delegates associated with later (post-March) primaries and additional bonuses based on the coordination of primaries.

The companion House bill (HB 5653) has been transmitted to Governor Chaffee as well, but seems superfluous at this point with SB 399 having now moved the primary back.

An updated 2012 Presidential Primary Calendar can be found here.

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