A proposal to kill the Delaware Presidential Primary swept through the state Senate and House and straight under Gov. John Carney’s pen.
A bill to eliminate the 2024 Delaware presidential primary on Tuesday passed both the House and Senate with little opposition and was signed into law by Gov. John Carney, all in a matter of hours.
Since Donald Trump and Joe Biden are the sole candidates for their parties, there was no need for a primary, said Senate Bill 241 sponsor Dave Lawson, R-Marydel.
Killing that primary – set for April 2 – would save the state “at least” $1.5 million, Delaware Elections Commissioner Anthony Albence told the Senate Tuesday.
“For this year’s particular election, we had only two qualified candidates for the Republican presidential primary,” said Delaware Elections Commissioner Anthony Albence.
“We had none on the Democratic side, as you likely know, when we went to qualify candidate Biden.”
Republican candidate Nikki Haley suspended her campaign for presidential nomination March 6, following Super Tuesday.
“Since that time, we received a withdrawal…notification from the (Haley campaign) wishing their candidate to be removed from the ballot,” Albence said. “There essentially is no contest.”
The bill received only one no vote, from Sen. Kyle Gay, D-Brandywine Hundred.
Primary no vote
“I just want to make sure that we are aware that absentee ballots have gone out for this election. It has started in a sense,” Sen. Gay said.
“I do support the bipartisan work that’s being done. I’m just concerned with voter education. We struggle with voter education. We struggle with disinformation and I just can’t put a value on, you know, clear information,” she explained. “And I think this last minute change might present some confusing pieces.”
IN THE NEWS: Here’s what happens now in districts whose referendums passed.
After the no-primary bill passed the Senate 19-1, it immediately went to the House, where it passed 37 yes, 2 not voting and 2 absent.
It was immediately signed into law by Carney.
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