AUDIO: Bill To Move Presidential Primaries Held Over In House Committee
Bill that would move Oklahoma’s presidential primary away from Super Tuesday held over in committee
By RANDY KREHBIEL World Staff Writer
OKLAHOMA CITY — A bill that could fundamentally change Oklahoma’s 2016 Republican presidential primary was laid over Wednesday after running into stiff opposition in a state House of Representatives committee.
Senate Bill 233, by Rep. Brian Crain, R-Tulsa, would move the state’s presidential primaries from the first Tuesday in March — so-called “Super Tuesday” because of the number of primaries that day — to the first Tuesday in April.
The move would affect both Democratic and Republican primaries but would be especially significant for the GOP because national party rules allow primaries held after March 14, 2016, to be winner-take-all contests.
Delegates must be allocated proportionately for Republican primaries held March 1-14. Only four states — New Hampshire, South Carolina, Iowa and Nevada — are allowed to choose national convention delegates earlier than March 1.