Ward 3 Councilwoman Mary Cheh is planning to introduce a bill on Tuesday that would set the date for the District's 2012 primary election.

The date has not been finalized, but a council source told The Washington Examiner that it's likely to be in early July. With early voting, District residents could start casting their ballots in mid to late June.

The local primary has traditionally taken place in September, but a 2009 federal law requires the city to make the date earlier in the year to improve access for overseas voters. The District was in violation of the law when it held its 2010 primary, but developed a memorandum of understanding with the Justice Department that led the city to create a digital absentee ballot system which was later hacked. 

The D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics has urged the council to set  the date for the local primary on the day of the presidential primary to save money. In 2008, the District held its presidential primary on Feb. 12. Republicans, however, have been pushing to have local governments set their primaries later in the year.

Whatever date Cheh's bill proposes, the source noted that it's a starting point. The council will hold a public hearing on the bill and the date could change.