H373 Summary

• Established the 2016 presidential preference primary election for March 15, 2016, allowing voters to express preference for their political party's presidential nominee.

• Permitted registration and voting in the presidential primary for persons who will become of voting age by the 2016 general election, with the State Board of Elections nominating candidates submitted by party chairs or through petition (requiring 10,000 registered voter signatures).

• Set the 2016 general primary election filing period from December 1-21, 2015, requiring candidates to be affiliated with their party for at least 75 days prior to filing.

• Created "affiliated party committees" as separate entities that party caucus leaders in the North Carolina House and Senate may establish to support their party's candidates, treating them as political parties for campaign finance purposes.

• Modified campaign finance reporting requirements, including quarterly reports due March 7, 2016 (covering through February 29, 2016) and authorized the State Board of Elections to issue temporary orders to accommodate the 2016 primary schedule.