[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1789 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
106th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1789
To provide for a rotating schedule for regional selection of delegates
to a national Presidential nominating convention, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
October 26, 1999
Mr. Gorton (for himself and Mr. Lieberman) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and
Administration
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide for a rotating schedule for regional selection of delegates
to a national Presidential nominating convention, and for other
purposes.
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 ``Regional Presidential Selection Act
of 1999''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Caucus.--The term ``caucus'' means any convention,
meeting, or series of meetings held for the selection of
delegates to a national Presidential nominating convention of a
political party.
(2) Election year.--The term ``election year'' means a year
during which a Presidential election is to be held.
(3) National committee.--The term ``national committee''
means the organization which, by virtue of the bylaws of a
political party, is responsible for the day-to-day operation of
such political party at the national level, as determined by
the Federal Election Commission.
(4) Political party.--The term ``political party'' means an
association, committee, or organization which--
(A) nominates a candidate for election to any
Federal office whose name appears on the election
ballot as the candidate of such association, committee,
or organization; and
(B) won electoral votes in the preceding
Presidential election.
(5) Primary.--The term ``primary'' means a primary election
held for the selection of delegates to a national Presidential
nominating convention of a political party, but does not
include a caucus, convention, or other indirect means of
selection.
(6) State committee.--The term ``State committee'' means
the organization which, by virtue of the bylaws of a political
party, is responsible for the day-to-day operation of such
political party at the State level, as determined by the
Federal Election Commission.
SEC. 3. SCHEDULE.
(a) Schedule.--
(1) First election cycle.--Subject to paragraph (3), in
2004, each State shall hold a primary in accordance with this
Act, according to the following schedule:
(A) Region i.--Each State in Region I shall hold a
primary on the first Tuesday in March.
(B) Region ii.--Each State in Region II shall hold
a primary on the first Tuesday in April.
(C) Region iii.--Each State in Region III shall
hold a primary on the first Tuesday in May.
(D) Region iv.--Each State in Region IV shall hold
a primary on the first Tuesday in June.
(2) Subsequent election cycles.--
(A) General rule.--Subject to paragraph (3), except
as provided in subparagraph (B), in each subsequent
election year after 2004, each State in each region
shall hold a primary on the first Tuesday of the month
following the month in which the State held a primary
in the preceding election year.
(B) Limitation.--If the States in a region were
required to hold primaries on the first Tuesday in June
of the preceding election year, such States shall hold
primaries on the first Tuesday in March of the
succeeding election year.
(3) Exception.--If all but one of the seriously considered
candidates withdraw from a primary in a State before the date
on which the primary for such State is scheduled, the State may
cancel the primary in the State.
(b) Regions.--For purposes of subsection (a):
(1) Region i.--Region I shall be comprised of the
following:
(A) Connecticut.
(B) Delaware.
(C) District of Columbia.
(D) Maine.
(E) Maryland.
(F) Massachusetts.
(G) New Hampshire.
(H) New Jersey.
(I) New York.
(J) Pennsylvania.
(K) Rhode Island.
(L) Vermont.
(M) West Virginia.
(2) Region ii.--Region II shall be comprised of the
following:
(A) Alabama.
(B) Arkansas.
(C) Florida.
(D) Georgia.
(E) Kentucky.
(F) Louisiana.
(G) Mississippi.
(H) North Carolina.
(I) Oklahoma.
(J) South Carolina.
(K) Tennessee.
(L) Texas.
(M) Virginia.
(3) Region iii.--Region III shall be comprised of the
following:
(A) Illinois.
(B) Indiana.
(C) Iowa.
(D) Kansas.
(E) Michigan.
(F) Minnesota.
(G) Missouri.
(H) Nebraska.
(I) North Dakota.
(J) Ohio.
(K) South Dakota.
(L) Wisconsin.
(4) Region iv.--Region IV shall be comprised of the
following:
(A) Alaska.
(B) Arizona.
(C) California.
(D) Colorado.
(E) Hawaii.
(F) Idaho.
(G) Montana.
(H) Nevada.
(I) New Mexico.
(J) Oregon.
(K) Utah.
(L) Washington.
(M) Wyoming.
(5) Territories.--The national committees shall jointly
determine the region of each territory of the United States.
SEC. 4. QUALIFICATION FOR BALLOT.
(a) Certification by Federal Election Commission.--The Federal
Election Commission shall certify to the States in the relevant region
the names of all seriously considered candidates of each political
party--
(1) for the first primary in the election year, not later
than 6 weeks before such primary; and
(2) in the subsequent primaries in the election year, not
later than one week after the preceding primary in such
election year.
(b) State Primary Ballots.--Each State shall include on the State's
primary ballot--
(1) the names certified by the Federal Election Commission;
and
(2) any other names determined by the appropriate State
committee.
SEC. 5. VOTING AT NATIONAL PARTY CONVENTIONS BY STATE DELEGATES.
(a) In General.--Each State committee shall establish a procedure
for the apportionment of delegates to the national Presidential
nominating convention of each political party based on one of the
following models:
(1) Winner-take-all.--A binding, winner-take-all system in
which the results of the primary bind each member of the State
delegation or Congressional district delegation (or combination
thereof) to the national convention to cast a vote for the
primary winner in the State.
(2) Proportionate preference.--A binding proportionate
representation system in which the results of the State primary
are used to allocate members of the State delegation or
Congressional district delegation (or combination thereof) to
the national convention to Presidential candidates based on the
proportion of the vote for some or all of the candidates
received in the primary in the State.
(b) Selection of Delegates.--
(1) Submission of names.--Not later than the date on which
a candidate is certified on the ballot for a State, such
candidate shall submit to the State committee, in priority
order, a list of names of individuals proposed by the candidate
to serve as delegates for such candidate.
(2) Selection.--Delegates apportioned to represent a
candidate pursuant to the procedure established under
subsection (a) shall be selected according to the list
submitted by the candidate pursuant to paragraph (1).
(c) Voting at the National Conventions.--Each delegate to a
national convention who is required to vote for the winner of the State
primary under the system established under subsection (a) shall so vote
for at least 2 ballots at the national convention, unless released by
the winner of the State primary to which such delegate's vote is
pledged.
SEC. 6. OPTIONAL STATE CAUCUS TO SELECT DELEGATES.
(a) Election.--Instead of, or in addition to, holding the primary
required under section 3, a State may elect to select delegates to a
national Presidential nominating convention of a political party in
accordance with this section, through a caucus held by any political
party which has the authority to nominate a candidate.
(b) Schedule.--A State that makes an election under subsection (a)
shall ensure that the caucus does not commence earlier than the date
such State otherwise would be required to hold a primary under section
3.
(c) Qualification for Ballot.--A State committee of a political
party that holds a caucus shall certify and include candidates in the
same manner provided under section 4.
(d) Voting at National Party Conventions by State Delegates.--Each
State committee shall establish a procedure for the apportionment of
delegates to the national Presidential nominating convention of each
political party and the method of selecting such delegates.
SEC. 7. EFFECTIVE DATE.
This Act shall apply with respect to any primary or caucus held in
connection with a general election held in the year 2004 and in each
election year thereafter.
<all>