PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A pair of bills that would move up next year’s primary election in Pennsylvania cleared an important hurdle in the state House.
The House State Government Committee advanced a pair of bills that would change next year’s presidential primary. As of now, the primary is scheduled for April 23, 2024, which falls on the Jewish holiday Passover. The first and last two days of the holiday are days of religious observance for many. The concern is the date could discourage Jewish voters from going to the polls.
One of the bills, by state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta (D-Philadelphia), would move the primary to April 2.
“Right now, our presidential primary date not only conflicts with a major religious holiday but additionally disadvantages the voters of the commonwealth in terms of being able to weigh in in a substantive way throughout the presidential primary process,” he said.
Passover marks when Jews in Egypt moved out of slavery and bondage to religious freedom. “So it would seem a strange turn that here in Pennsylvania, we would make certain Pennsylvanians choose between religious practice and civic duty,” argued co-sponsor Jared Solomon (D-Philadelphia).
Another bill, which has already cleared the state Senate, would move the primary election to March 19. The committee needed two cracks at that bill, as it failed on a first vote but advanced after a motion to reconsider.
State Rep. Dawn Keefer (R-York County) said she’s concerned county election officials won’t have enough time to make necessary adjustments.
“I’m not saying that this isn’t, wasn’t a worthy effort,” she said. “But it should have been done long before now. And we are really putting the counties in a very tough position.”
Lee Soltysiak, the Montgomery County chief clerk of elections, said counties can prepare for anything, though.
“But we do need time to do it,” he said. “A decision needs to made so we can get to work.”
Both bills head to the full House for consideration.