Sec. 1. 21-A MRSA §335, sub-§6, as enacted by PL 1985, c. 161, §6, is amended to read:

6. When signed. A Except for the provisions of subchapter VII, a petition may not be signed before January 1st of the election year in which it is to be used.

Sec. 2. 21-A MRSA §335, sub-§8, as amended by PL 1995, c. 459, §23, is further amended to read:

8. When filed. A Except for the provisions of subchapter VII, a primary petition must be filed in the office of the Secretary of State before 5 p.m. on March 15th of the election year in which it is to be used.

Sec. 3. 21-A MRSA §417 is enacted to read:

§417.__Repeal

This subchapter is repealed on July 1, 2003.

Sec. 4. 21-A MRSA c. 5, sub-c. VII is enacted to read:

SUBCHAPTER VII

PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY ELECTIONS

§431.__Determination and date of primary

1.__Determination of primary.__Whenever the state committee of a political party certifies that there is a contest among candidates for nomination as the presidential candidate of the party and that the committee has voted to conduct a presidential primary election, the State shall hold a presidential primary election.__The election may not be held earlier than January 1st of the year in which the presidential election is held.

2.__Date of primary.__The date of the presidential primary must be chosen in the following manner.

A.__If a determination is made pursuant to subsection 1 for one party and that party chooses a date, the State shall hold the presidential primary election on that date.__The party shall deliver to the Secretary of State notification of the chosen date by December 1st of the year prior to the election.