"(U.S. Rep David) Price proposes primary reforms" --5 states should vote every week... LINK

[Blackhatjack]

Anyone watching the present Primary Process play out this election cycle can appreciate the proposal that Rep. Price is making here. Unless the Democratic Party adopts a similar approach before the next election cycle there will likely be even more problems as State Democratic Parties no longer feel compelled to comply with National Democratic Party rules in scheduling their respective Primaries and Caucuses.

The entire article is worth a read.


http://www.newsobserver.com/print/tuesday/city_state/story/908865.html

"Price proposes primary reforms"

He says 5 states should vote every week

Karin Dryhurst, Correspondent

U.S. Rep. David Price wants to overhaul the presidential primary system.
In a speech Monday at Meredith College, the Chapel Hill Democrat said the system, in combination with the structure of public financing, has devalued some candidates "in the face of big money and celebrity."

The congressman has served on two commissions that aimed to revise the rules for the Democratic presidential nominations for the 1984 and 2008 elections. Both commissions were "something less than smashing successes," he said.

He said the current primary season has started too early and may end too abruptly with the concentration of 22 primaries on Feb. 5, now known by some as "Super Duper Tuesday."

"That nominee is sitting out there for six months," he said.

Price advocated a system that would hold five primaries on every Tuesday over two to three months, beginning in March. He also suggested that Iowa and New Hampshire remain at the front end with states such as South Carolina and Nevada, which provide diversity in the early season."

MORE

[meegbear]

1. Thats not a bad idea ...

I'm digging it.

[Dogmudgeon]

2. Sounds like a good idea

So it will never work.

--p!

[neutron]

4. Makes sense not to give a single state such importance

Though it's good that the shady union tactics in NV got its 15 minutes.

[Dogmudgeon]

5. Nobody saw that coming?

It's Nevada -- a boom town state since 1948. You have a dozen layers of mobs, political dynasties, anarcho-capitalists, unions good and bad, a thirst for non-stop excitement, and five million TV cameras. I'm surprised the International Brotherhood of Elvis Impersonators didn't get involved.

In my family, we had a "bet" over which group would complain first. (I'm not giving the results -- the partisan heat is too high!)

--p!
When, and whom, is Sinatra going to endorse?

[LiberalFighter]

3. Where has he been? I've been talking about regional primaries for years.

And it has been discussed on this board for several months.

My suggestion has been along the line of 6 to 8 states having their primaries during a set week. AND it would be rotated each election to allow different states to have their elections first.

I would allow those states to opt out IF they conduct their primary election at the same time they conduct their regular primary election as previously held.

If there is any additional thought on whether states with caucuses should be required to conduct their caucuses in the same rotation as the primary elections or during a different time slot let me know. South Carolina should be required to be in the rotation as they don't conduct caucuses as Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada.

In addition, the states that are grouped as a set would be geographically located in the same area. It would then provide more bang for the candidate's bucks in that media buys that overlap into other states would then be cost effective.

[rox63]

6. I'd like to see voting spread over more than one weekday

Most people have to work on weekdays, which makes it harder to vote.

[KoKo]

7. K&R!

[suston96]

8. Nope ! Do not agree. One national primary weekend 90 days before the November election.

...then a runoff final election on first weekend in November with the top tiers of not more than 6 running in each party chosen by % of votes in primary.

Standardized federal paper ballots, of course.

[MaineDem]

9. The same number of delegates should be at stake each week

Whether it's one big state or several smaller states. No one state should have more power than another on any given day.