BOISE - The future of Idaho's Republican primary election is quickly gaining steam as one of the most politically-charged issues of the 2008 legislative session.

A bill to limit primary elections to party members has been waiting almost two weeks for a hearing, but most senior GOP lawmakers are tight-lipped, saying that discussions are ongoing.

The resolution, some lawmakers and political observers say, could be a modified primary bill, which was unveiled at the end of the 2007 session but stalled due to time.

Sen. Dean Cameron, R-Rupert, said he doesn't expect action on the bill introduced, and it's too early to know what will happen. But a modified primary system might be more acceptable, he said.

"You could say, that my perspective would be, if we were forced to do something, would be to go to a modified open primary system for both Republicans and Democrats, where party members would not be allowed to cross over and would be able to vote for candidates of their choice without any record of who they wanted," Cameron said Friday.

In November, a judge dismissed a lawsuit brought by 71 Republicans who sued the secretary of state, ruling that the plaintiffs lacked grounds since it wasn't brought by the party itself.

In August, Cameron said that if the lawsuit was unsuccessful, he didn't think the Legislature needed to act. He is among those who wonder why the party wants to alter a system that helped Republicans win 79 of 105 positions in the state Legislature and all statewide positions. For more than 30 years, Idaho has held open primaries, meaning any registered voter can cast a ballot in either party primary without first registering as a member of that party.

The proposed legislation would not effect the ongoing selection of presidential party nominees. Democrats will go to caucus to selelect party delegates on Feb. 5, while Republicans will vote in a statewide primary on May 27.

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that states can't force political parties to associate with those who don't share their political beliefs. Three separate proposals to close primaries failed to clear the 2007 Legislature.

"The open primary is not going to survive," said Keith Allred, executive director of the non-partisan CommonInterest.org, who has been intimately involved in the issue.

Last year, Allred, a Twin Falls native and former Harvard professor, spoke out in favor of modified primaries and said they would best reflect Idaho's electorate.

At a state central committee meeting earlier this month, Republicans voted 89-39 in favor of closing the primaries. Among their provisions is that only Republican can vote in primary elections - and that the plaintiffs in the original suit can sue on behalf of the party.

Rod Beck, a former state legislator pushing to close the primaries, said a modified system would be unacceptable.

"We want just Republicans to pick our candidates. It doesn't make sense for our opponents to pick our Super Bowl and our starting lineup," he said. "I hope the Legislature will listen to us and take their cue from the state party as they should."

But Allred is skeptical of the primaries being closed. Although his group studies an array of issues, the primary debate is often what Allred discusses in the halls of the Capitol Annex.

"A completely closed primary bill is not going to pass the Idaho Legislature," said Allred. "I've counted the noses."

Jared S. Hopkins may be reached at 631-793-5717 or jhopkins@magicvalley.com