Pennsylvania considering early 2024 presidential primary to avoid Passover vote

Pennsylvania is considering changing the state’s 2024 presidential primary to an earlier day, partly to avoid a vote on Passover.

State lawmakers plan to vote on legislation today that would change Pennsylvania’s primary from late April to late March.

Under current law, Pennsylvania’s primary date is the fourth Tuesday in April, which this year lands on April 23.

Many states want to hold presidential primaries earlier, to give residents more influence in the trajectory of presidential campaigns. But Pennsylvania lawmakers have resisted a change because it would push the beginning of the state’s customary 13-week primary season into the winter holidays.

A state Senate committee could advance a proposal to change the primary election to March 19 or March 26.

The Senate bill’s sponsor has long pushed to hold Pennsylvania’s primary earlier, before presidential candidates have all but locked down the delegates they need to win the nomination.

In an interview, Sen. David Argall, R-Schuylkill, acknowledges that moving it to either of those dates still leaves many states with large numbers of delegates before Pennsylvania, including Super Tuesday primary states on March 5.

By March 19, a candidate could lock up the delegates necessary to win the nomination, or at least put the contest out of reach.

This year, more lawmakers are motivated to support a change because April 23 is the first day of Passover, a Jewish holiday when observant Jews typically avoid the same activities they avoid on the Sabbath, such as driving, working or using electricity.

Gov. Josh Shapiro, who is Jewish, has said he supports changing the date, as well.

Argall’s bill would move the primary date to March 19, the same date as Ohio, Florida, Illinois, Kansas and Arizona. Still, that date comes after primaries in other major states, including California, Texas, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Virginia, Massachusetts and Tennessee.