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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Eye On Boise

Primary election bill goes to both committee, full Senate tomorrow…

Senate Majority Leader Bart Davis, R-Idaho Falls, just announced that the Senate plans to suspend its rules and take up SB 1198, the "modified-closed primary election bill," tomorrow. That measure also is scheduled for its committee hearing tomorrow, at 8 a.m. in the Senate State Affairs Committee. The bill is the result of the Idaho Republican Party's successful lawsuit against the state, challenging Idaho's current open primary system; the state also is paying $100,000 to cover the Republican Party's attorney fees, after losing the lawsuit in federal court. The party wants to close its primary elections to those other than registered Republicans, though the bill would allow some options for non-affiliated voters; Idaho never has had party registration, but under the bill, it will now.



Betsy Z. Russell
Betsy Z. Russell joined The Spokesman-Review in 1991. She currently is a reporter in the Boise Bureau covering Idaho state government and politics, and other news from Idaho's state capital.

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