OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Gov. Jay Inslee signed a measure Thursday moving the state’s presidential primary ahead two months…from May to March.

Next year’s primary will now be held on the second Tuesday in March, something Inslee said will strengthen the state’s role in the national democratic process.

Washington has a presidential primary and a caucus system. In 2016, Republicans used the May primary to allocate delegates while Democrats ignored the primary results and opted for the caucus system to divvy up delegates.

Inslee said that his goal in signing the bill was to increase voter participation.