Pennsylvania’s Senate wants an earlier 2024 presidential primary, partly to have a say on nominees

By MARC LEVY
Associated Press

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania’s state Senate wants to move up the state’s 2024 primary election by five weeks to March 19. Lawmakers touted the move as a way to avoid a conflict with the Jewish holiday of Passover and to give voters more of a say in deciding presidential nominees. The bill passed Wednesday, 45-to-2, although it still requires passage in the state House of Representatives. Under the bill, the primary election would move from April 23 to March 19. That date falls after primaries in other big delegate states. Pennsylvania is a premier battleground in presidential elections, but it hasn’t hosted a competitive presidential primary since 2008.