A bill that's making its way through Virginia's General Assembly would prevent political parties from requiring voters to sign a party affiliation statement in a presidential primary.
The Republican-led Senate voted 34-5 to approve the bill Monday. It heads to the House.
The state Republican Party had planned to require voters in the party's March 1 primary to sign a statement affirming they're Republicans before casting a ballot. But it later changed its mind amid criticism from Donald Trump supporters.
A judge rejected Trump supporters' attempt to block the loyalty oath, but the party rescinded its decision to use it anyway, calling it "bad publicity.''
The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports that the bill applies only to state-sponsored primaries and that parties could still hold their own nominating contests with an oath.
Virginia Senate OKs Bill Nixing Party's ‘Loyalty Oaths'
The state Republican Party had planned to require voters in the party's March 1 primary to sign a statement affirming they're Republicans before casting a ballot.
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