PRIMARY: Here’s what was passed

Regarding Mary Ollie’s comments, after the Legislature’s failure to reconvene, the Secretary of State and the Governor enacted the change to the presidential primary in Idaho. Bill addressing technical correction died when the legislative session adjourned. House Assistant Minority Leader Lauren Necochea, D-Boise, said the problem is that the Idaho Legislature failed to pass Senate Bill 1186, which she described as a technical correction to the presidential primary law. The Idaho Senate voted 24-10 to pass Senate Bill 1186, but the bill never advanced to the House floor for a vote and died when the session adjourned. “The way to ensure Idaho voters — of every party — have their say in our presidential nomination process is to hold a special legislative session and reinstate the presidential primary election,” Necochea added.

Could Idaho see a special legislative session?

When the bill was first introduced, the Idaho Capital Sun described how its passage could push Idaho’s presidential primary back until after the presidential nominations were already mathematically clinched.The Idaho House of Representatives voted 61-6 to pass the bill on Feb. 24, and the Idaho Senate voted 23-11 to pass the bill on March 23. Little signed the bill into law a week later on March 30.

House Bill 138 is written so it would take effect July 1. That means the law’s changes and consequences would be in effect for the 2024 presidential election if the issue is not addressed by the Idaho Legislature or a legal challenge.

THOMAS SANNER

Coeur d’Alene