Washington Considers Earlier Primaries

OLYMPIA (AP) — A Washington official is trying to change state law to push the presidential primary earlier in the year, giving voters a greater influence in the election.

The Everett Herald reports that Republican Secretary of State Kim Wyman is supporting a bill that will move the Washington primary date from the fourth Tuesday in May to the second Tuesday in March.

Washington was one of the last states to hold a primary in 2016, but the March date would have put it ahead of Florida, Ohio, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, among other states. The bill would also open primaries to voters not registered as either Democrat or Republican.

The chairwoman of the state Republican Party says she backs Wyman's efforts. A state Democratic Party spokesman says it's too soon to make decisions about 2020 primaries.