RALEIGH, (SGRToday.com) - North Carolina primary voters will cast votes to decide party nominees on March 15, 2016, two months earlier than in the past. The change was signed into law by Gov. Pat McCrory on Wednesday.

All contests will appear on the ballot.

The legislation also created affiliated party committees that allow a vehicle for supporting candidates outside the traditional Republican or Democrat state parties.

Supporters of moving up the primary say it will help North Carolina have a say in choosing the presidential  nominees and that waiting until May would push the state onto the sidelines of what is thought to be a highly competitive race.

House Bill 373 can be found at http://ncleg.net/gascripts/BillLookUp/BillLookUp.pl?Session=2015&BillID=h373&submitButton=Go