Bill moving primary to May 20 heads to governor’s desk

Lawmakers in the House on Friday passed a bill clearing the way for state primaries to be held on May 20 – the earliest on record.

House Bill 310, sponsored by House Ethics Committee Chairman Joe Wilkinson, R-Sandy Springs, passed the House 159-1. It's the first bill to reach final passage this year.

Lawmakers wanted to sync state and county primaries with federal elections. A federal judge last year ordered the state to move its federal primary to May 20 to allow for at least 45 days of absentee voting by military and overseas voters.