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November 5, 2007

Update: Carcieri vetoes primary date change

Governor Carcieri has vetoed a bill moving Rhode Island's presidential primary from March 4 to Feb. 5.

The governor said a change in the date would "create an excessive burden on local boards of canvassers."

He vetoed the bill yesterday and announced it today.

State Rep. Leonidas Raptakis, the disappointed sponsor of the primary bill, acknowledged that it's probably too late to overturn the governor's veto. He noted that disaffiliation deadlines are bearing down.

“This bill should have passed back in June,’’ Raptakis, D-Coventry, said. “If those powers that be were very concerned about passing a bill, they should have come back in September to override the governor’s vetoes. Don’t wait until October 30 to come back.’’

State lawmakers voted to move the primary Oct. 30 in a one-day special session during which they also overrode close to three dozen of Carcieri's vetoes.

As it stands, “if the General Assembly doesn’t come back this week, it’s a lost cause,’’ Raptakis said.

Asked who he blames, he said: “Until the process changes, this is going to happen year after year…I should be mad at the whole process. I should be mad at the General Assembly. This bill should have passed back in June.’’ And now, he said, Rhode Island faces the prospect of holding a March primary at taxpayer expense – with almost no voter interest, and “very, very low turnout’’ - after clear winners have already emerged the nominees have already been chosen. ‘Nobody is going to go out to vote on March 4 knowing the nominess have already been chosen,’’ he said.

Read the governor's veto letter.

-- With reports from Journal staff writer Katherine Gregg.

Posted by Jack Perry  at 11:36 AM | Permalink

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A. Douglas | November 5, 2007 11:47 AM link

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