Idaho Republican leaders are close to inking a deal that would limit GOP primary elections to the party's registered voters, the AP reports, long a goal of conservatives who suspect crossover voting that's been allowed since 1972 has produced GOP candidates who fail to hew closely enough to the party line. The Senate's GOP members met privately on Tuesday on the plan, while House Republicans will do likewise Wednesday or Thursday, reports AP reporter John Miller, who writes that the bill comes after a federal judge ruled this year that Idaho's 38-year-old open primary system was unconstitutional. According to the draft measure, Republicans would vote in GOP primary races, while Democrats would vote in Democratic primaries. Party leaders —likely the parties' central committees — could allow unaffiliated voters to participate, with their ballot choice becoming a public record.

An independent voter group announced Wednesday it was appealing the court decision, though that will hardly deter legislative action. House Speaker Lawerence Denney said he expects a bill introduction by Friday. "We are very close," said Denney, R-Midvale. Click below to read Miller's full report.

Idaho GOP leaders near closed primary deal
By JOHN MILLER, Associated Press

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho Republican leaders are close to inking a deal that would limit GOP primary elections to the party's registered voters, long a goal of conservatives who suspect crossover voting that's been allowed since 1972 has produced GOP candidates who fail to hew closely enough to the party line.

The Senate's GOP members met privately on Tuesday on the plan, while House Republicans will do likewise Wednesday or Thursday.

The bill comes after a federal judge ruled this year that Idaho's 38-year-old open primary system was unconstitutional. According to the draft measure, Republicans would vote in GOP primary races, while Democrats would vote in Democratic primaries. Party leaders —likely the parties' central committees — could allow unaffiliated voters to participate, with their ballot choice becoming a public record.

An independent voter group announced Wednesday it was appealing the court decision, though that will hardly deter legislative action. House Speaker Lawerence Denney said he expects a bill introduction by Friday.

"We are very close," said Denney, R-Midvale.

Under the plan, voters could also choose to register as members of the Libertarian and Constitution parties, which also are recognized in Idaho.

Senate President Pro Tem Brent Hill, R-Rexburg, said details still to be worked out include deciding just how long a voter who previously registered a party affiliation would have to switch sides before a primary election.

Some in the state GOP have suggested two months, others as long as 180 days.

Congressional leaders Sens. Jim Risch and Mike Crapo and U.S. Reps. Mike Simpson and Raul Labrador, all Republicans, have been kept abreast of developments so they aren't taken off-guard, as has state GOP leaders including party chairman Norm Semanko, Hill said.

Semanko didn't immediately return a phone call Tuesday evening.

Neither did Rod Beck, a former state senate majority leader who was one of the catalysts behind closing the primary. In 2008, Beck was one of the leaders of a revolt at the Idaho State Republican Convention in Sandpoint that ousted former chairman Kirk Sullivan and replaced him with Semanko — largely over Sullivan's opposition to closing the primary election.

At the 2010 Idaho State Republican Party Convention, Beck spearheaded a provision asking all GOP candidates to pledge loyalty to Idaho's Republican Party platform — or list what they disagree with. Beck said then that answers could become the basis for people to challenge unfaithful incumbents, starting with 2012 primaries.

Larry Grant, the recently appointed Idaho Democratic Party chairman, said he thinks a closed GOP primary will result in more ideologically conservative candidates on Idaho's general election ballots, something he thinks will help win support for Democratic candidates who appeal to a broader spectrum of voters.

Grant said his party's state and federal elections primaries will remain open, though the party will continue to caucus on its presidential nominee.

"They've got loyalty oaths, closed primaries. We believe in open primaries," Grant said. "I think the Republicans are going to get purer in their bloodlines, and hopefully it'll end up making them more conservative. We're Democrats, we like people to vote in elections. We're happy to have everyone they've kicked out come and vote in ours."

On March 2, U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill threw out Idaho's open primary, saying the right to free association was also founded on the right not to be required to associate with certain groups. In his decision, Winmill validated evidence presented at trial showing that past primaries were influenced by crossover voting by Democrats and Independents.

The New York-based Committee for a United Independent Party announced on Wednesday it was lodging an appeal of Winmill's decision.

Gary Allen, the group's lawyer in Boise, said Idaho's Republican primary is often the only election that counts, so independents should be able to participate.

"Partisan interests should not take precedence when it comes to participation in the democratic process," Allen said.

According to the GOP plan now being drafted, Republican and Democratic voters would register their affiliation in the first primary in which they voted.

Parties could also conduct registration drives, to rustle up supporters for their side.

The office of Secretary of State Ben Ysursa, who unsuccessfully defended Idaho's open primary in federal court, said one of its biggest concerns is ensuring the new system includes an orderly process for Idaho's 740,000 registered voters to choose a partisan side.

There is no formal party registration in Idaho now, and Tim Hurst, Ysursa's top deputy, is wary of voters who could take out their frustrations about having to register for a party for the first time on volunteer poll workers come Election Day. "It needs to be as seamless as possible," Hurst said. "If somebody is upset about this, they're going to take it out on poll workers, not on the party officers and not on us."

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.