Count state Assemblyman Jeff Dinowitz among those who want to move New York’s April presidential primary to June 23.
Dinowitz on Monday announced the introduction of a bill that would do just that, along with measures that would allow changes to absentee ballot criteria to include the COVID-9 pandemic.
The bill is the latest proposal from a state lawmaker who wants to move the April 28 presidential primary. The date also includes several special elections, including a western New York congressional race between Democrat Nate McMurray and Republican Chris Jacobs as well as a state Senate campaign in central New York.
Dinowitz said in a news release that is “increasingly likely” the restrictions on public gatherings will continue into next month.
“Moving the Presidential primary date to the end of June would allow Boards of Election to adequately prepare for significant increases in absentee ballot requests as well as allow more time for the spread of novel coronavirus to significantly slow before people have to vote,” he said.
Dinowitz’s bill also wants to streamline the primary ballot by removing all candidates and delegates of campaigns that been suspended.
Former Vice President Joe Biden has wracked up a string of victories in recent weeks even as other states have postponed their primaries to later in the calendar.
Governor Andrew Cuomo is yet to back a change to the presidential primary. But his top aide, Melissa DeRosa, said this week the administration was reviewing how to expand criteria for absentee balloting, provisions of which are baked into the state constitution.
DeRosa indicated the administration was reviewing whether it can expand the criteria for a voter qualifying for an absentee ballot through an executive order.