When is the primary election?

We still don’t know.

The House and Senate have said they want to reschedule this year’s primary election to the fourth Tuesday in August – Aug. 24 – in order to give election officials a bigger window to get ballots to and from voters who are overseas. Because of a technical issue, the bill has pingponged between the two chambers over the past week. It has yet to be sent to the governor.

Will Gov. Jim Douglas agree to a new date even though he says the change is politically motivated? He argues Democrats want to give their gubernatorial candidate more time to recover after the primary election – which as of now features five candidates. Douglas says there would be other ways to make sure the military can vote.

Douglas will have five days from the date the bill arrives in his office to decide what to do. He could sign it, veto it or let it become law without his signature.

“I have to pick my fights,“ Douglas said last week. Is this a fight worth having?— Nancy Remsen

Labels: Vermont elections