The Coming Primaries

By Jim Ellis

2018-elections-open-seats-185April 30, 2018 — Completing the Arizona special congressional election earlier this week is the precursor to the beginning of the primary season’s most prolific period: the nomination voting scheduled for May and June.

With two primary elections already in the books — the March nomination contests in Texas (March 6) and Illinois (March 20) — 11 additional states vote in May with 18 more coming in June. Once the final June primaries are completed on June 26, a total of 31 states will have nominees.

There are only run-offs scheduled in July before 14 more states vote in August. Massachusetts, Delaware, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island still hold September primaries, while the unique Louisiana election calendar continues to feature a jungle primary concurrent with the general election followed by a December run-off for those races where a candidate does not obtain a majority.

New York is the only state with two primaries. The federal primary for the Senate and House is scheduled for June 26. The statewide contests, including the governor’s race, will nominate in a separate vote on Sept. 13.

In May, three dates are voting days. On May 8, voters in Indiana (Senate, House), North Carolina (House), Ohio (governor, Senate, House), and West Virginia (Senate, House) will cast their ballots. A week later on May 15, Idaho (governor, House), Nebraska (governor, Senate, House), Oregon (governor, House), and Pennsylvania (governor, Senate, House) will take their turn. The month concludes May 22 with Arkansas (governor, House), Georgia (governor, House), and Kentucky (House) voting.

Beyond that, here’s a month-by-month schedule of when primary voting in other states occurs:

June 5
Alabama (governor, House)
California (governor, Senate, House)
Iowa (governor, House)
Mississippi (Senate, House)
Montana (Senate, House)
New Mexico (governor, Senate, House)
New Jersey (Senate, House)
South Dakota (governor, House)

June 12
Maine (governor, Senate, House)
Nevada (governor, Senate, House)
North Dakota (Senate, House)
South Carolina (governor, House)
Virginia (Senate, House)

June 26
Colorado (governor, House)
Maryland (governor, Senate, House)
New York (House)
Oklahoma (governor, House)
Utah (Senate, House)

Aug. 2
Tennessee (governor, Senate, House)

Aug. 7
Kansas (governor, House)
Michigan (governor, Senate, House)
Missouri (Senate, House)
Washington (governor, Senate, House)

Aug. 11
Hawaii (governor, Senate, House)

Aug. 14
Connecticut (governor, Senate, House)
Minnesota (governor, Senate, Senate special, House)
Vermont (governor, Senate, House)
Wisconsin (governor, Senate, House)

Aug. 21
Alaska (governor, House)
Wyoming (governor, Senate, House)

Aug. 28
Arizona (governor, Senate, House)
Florida (governor, Senate, House)

Sept. 4
Massachusetts (governor, Senate, House)

Sept. 6
Delaware

Sept. 11
New Hampshire (governor, House)

Sept. 12
Rhode Island (governor, Senate, House)

Sept. 13
New York (governor)

Nov.6
Mississippi (Senate special)
Louisiana (House)

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