Senate Bill 1371 Summary

• Establishes a presidential primary election to be held on the third Tuesday in April in each presidential election year, with participation by political parties being optional.

• Changes the date for primary elections from the third Tuesday in May to the third Tuesday in April, effective beginning in 2026.

• Requires presidential primary candidates to file a declaration of candidacy with a $1,000 filing fee at least 90 days before the primary election.

• Shifts candidate filing deadlines for partisan political office from the twelfth Monday preceding the primary election to January 2, and from the tenth Friday preceding to January 16 in the year of the primary election.

• Makes the state of Idaho responsible for all costs of the presidential primary, including ballot preparation and legal notice publication, with county clerks submitting certified claims for reimbursement.

• Updates numerous Idaho Code sections to reflect the new April primary election date for various district elections and board trustee elections.