MADISON, Wis. (WSAU) – The state Assembly will vote next week on a bill to move the fall partisan primaries from mid-September to mid-August.

The federal government wants to change in order to give the state’s military and overseas residents more time to get their absentee ballots in for the November general election.

The Senate has approved a slightly different version of the bill which the Assembly will take up next Tuesday. The Senate would have to approve the Assembly’s changes before the measure could go to Governor Scott Walker for his signature.

A federal official was in Wisconsin last week to try and convince lawmakers to move back their fall primaries – which are for congressional and state offices, as well as partisan countywide offices.