New York State Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele, Jr. (I, D, WF-Sag Harbor) announced the Assembly passed legislation he sponsored ensuring state and federal primaries in New York State are held simultaneously on the fourth Tuesday in June (A.9108). Currently, the federal primary is scheduled for June 28 this year and the state primary date is Sept. 13. The move would streamline the election calendar, save taxpayers $25 million and ensure members of the military stationed overseas have ample time to vote.

“Holding separate state and federal primary elections wastes taxpayer money and makes it difficult for our troops overseas to participate in the very democracy they fight to protect,” Assemblyman Thiele said. “It just makes sense to combine the elections and make it easier for people to vote. This legislation will save money, give military personnel more time to send in absentee ballots and likely improve voter turnout.”

In 2009, the federal Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment (MOVE) Act was passed, requiring that absentee ballots be in the hands of overseas military personnel 45 days prior to a general election. While the federal law does not apply to New York’s September state primary election, the logical move is to combine the primaries, Thiele said.

During the last presidential election cycle in 2012, the election calendar made voting more difficult and caused turnout at the polls to drop. With a presidential primary in April, federal primary in June, state primary in September and general election in November, voting in New York State is currently more difficult and costly than it needs to be. Simplifying this chaotic schedule is the common-sense thing to do, Thiele said.

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