Are the primaries geographically and racially biased?

[billbuckhead]

Is it "democratic' and/or "fair" to have two 95%+ white rural states have so much influence in who becomes our candidate?

[tsipple]

1. Hmmmm...

Well, both Iowa and New Hampshire are swing states. The former went for Gore in 2000, and the latter went for Bush. Both states will be aggressively contested in 2004.

But the next batch of states, on February 3rd, includes Arizona, Missouri, South Carolina, Delaware, New Mexico, North Dakota, and Oklahoma. That group of states overrepresents Native Americans, has lots of Hispanics, and plenty of African-Americans. It's a little Republican-leaning. The nomination certainly won't be decided until these states have their say -- and perhaps after other states vote as well.

[Yupster]

2. How's about

having a state lottery each four years to see which states go to each date on the primary calendar. That would be more fair and would also generate a lot more interest.

When Democratic presidential candidates get over 30 % of their votes from minorities, of course it's not fait that the most important states which choose who those candidates are hould be virtually minority-free.