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[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1433 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1433

  To provide for interregional primary elections and caucuses for the 
   selection of delegates to political party Presidential nominating 
                              conventions.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              July 9, 2009

   Mr. Nelson of Florida (for himself and Mr. Levin) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                        Rules and Administration

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
  To provide for interregional primary elections and caucuses for the 
   selection of delegates to political party Presidential nominating 
                              conventions.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Fair and Representative Presidential 
Primaries Act of 2009''.

SEC. 2. INTERREGIONAL PRIMARY ELECTIONS AND CAUCUSES.

    (a) Selection of Delegates to Conventions.--The delegates to each 
national convention for the nomination of candidates of a political 
party for the offices of President and Vice President shall be selected 
by primary election or by caucus, as provided by State law. Such State 
law shall conform to the requirements of the national political 
executive committee and the national nominating convention of the 
political party involved.
    (b) Timing of Primary Elections and Caucuses.--
            (1) In general.--In each region described in subsection 
        (c), the primary elections and caucuses (as the case may be) in 
        a subregion (comprised of a State or a group of States) shall 
        be conducted on each of the following days of each Presidential 
        election year: the second Tuesday in March, the first Tuesday 
        in April, the fourth Tuesday in April, the second Tuesday in 
        May, the fourth Tuesday in May, and the second Tuesday in June.
            (2) Initial order of primaries and caucuses.--For the first 
        Presidential election with respect to which this Act applies, 
        the Election Assistance Commission shall determine by lot the 
        order of subregions in each region for conduct of primary 
        elections and caucuses by the States under paragraph (1).
            (3) Order of primaries and caucuses for subsequent 
        elections.--The subregions determined under paragraph (2) to be 
        first in order for the first Presidential election to which 
        this Act applies shall be last in order with respect to the 
        next such election, and the other subregions shall advance in 
        the order accordingly. The order shall change with respect to 
        subsequent elections in a like manner.
            (4) Special rules for district of columbia, puerto rico, 
        and territories.--Any primary election or caucus for the 
        District of Columbia shall be conducted on the same day as a 
        primary election or caucus for the State of Maryland. Any 
        primary election or caucus for the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico 
        shall be conducted on the same day as a primary election or 
        caucus for the State of Florida. Any primary election or caucus 
        for any other territory, possession, or other entity entitled 
        under the rules of a political party to delegate representation 
        at the national convention of that party shall be conducted on 
        the same day as a primary election or caucus for the States of 
        Alaska and Hawaii.
    (c) Establishment of Regions.--The regions (designated by number) 
and the subregions (designated by letter) referred to in subsection (b) 
are as follows:
            (1) Region 1: (A) Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont; (B) 
        Massachusetts; (C) Connecticut, Rhode Island; (D) Delaware, New 
        Jersey; (E) New York; (F) Pennsylvania.
            (2) Region 2: (A) Maryland; (B) West Virginia; (C) 
        Missouri; (D) Indiana; (E) Kentucky; (F) Tennessee.
            (3) Region 3: (A) Ohio; (B) Illinois; (C) Michigan; (D) 
        Wisconsin; (E) Iowa; (F) Minnesota.
            (4) Region 4: (A) Texas; (B) Louisiana; (C) Arkansas, 
        Oklahoma; (D) Colorado; (E) Kansas, Nebraska; (F) Arizona, New 
        Mexico.
            (5) Region 5: (A) Virginia; (B) North Carolina; (C) South 
        Carolina; (D) Florida; (E) Georgia; (F) Mississippi, Alabama.
            (6) Region 6: (A) California; (B) Washington; (C) Oregon; 
        (D) Idaho, Nevada, Utah; (E) Montana, North Dakota, South 
        Dakota, Wyoming; (F) Hawaii, Alaska.

SEC. 3. ENFORCEMENT.

    The Attorney General may bring a civil action in any appropriate 
United States district court for such declaratory or injunctive relief 
as may be necessary to carry out this Act.

SEC. 4. REGULATIONS.

    The Election Assistance Commission shall prescribe such regulations 
as may be necessary to carry out this Act.

SEC. 5. DEFINITION.

    As used in this Act, the term ``State law'' means the law of a 
State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a 
territory or possession of the United States.

SEC. 6. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    This Act shall apply with respect to Presidential elections taking 
place more than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act.
                                 <all>
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