On January 31, New York State Senator Thomas O’Mara (R-Elmira) introduced S6519, which would give New York an August primary for congress, state, and local office. The bill leaves the independent petition deadline in early August. The bill is supported by all the New York Senate Republicans so is likely to pass the Senate.

The bill is in competition with A8198, backed by Assembly Democrats. It sets the primary in June, and moves the independent candidate petition to May. If that bill passed, New York’s petition deadline for presidential candidates would be the earliest in the nation (no other state’s independent presidential deadline is earlier than June), and would probably be held unconstitutional under Anderson v Celebrezze.