The Secretary of the State’s Office recently published a calendar of the deadlines associated with the state’s presidential preference primary. This year the legislature moved the primary back from the first Tuesday in February to the last Tuesday in April, which in 2012 is April 24. New York, Pennsylvania, and Delaware will also hold their primaries that day.
Among the key deadlines are the following:
- On February 10, the secretary places on the primary ballot candidates who are “generally and seriously advocated or recognized according to reports in the national or state news media.” Such candidates may withdraw from the ballot by submitting a signed letter to the secretary by March 19.
- Candidates who seek to petition onto the ballot must file petition pages by March 2.
- Enrolled party members who wish to switch parties and vote in their new party’s primary must do so by January 24.
- New or unaffiliated voters who wish to enroll in a party and vote in its primary must do so by April 19.
