Illinois isn’t the only state moving its primary earlier in the year. South Carolina is moving its date up to mid-January according to The State (a S. C. newspaper):
S.C. Republican Party chairman Katon Dawson is expected to announce Thursday that the 2008 S.C. presidential primary will be Jan. 19, sources close to the party and campaigns told The State.
And that means that other states will be forced to have their votes even earlier. The New York Times explains:
New Hampshire has a law requiring that its primaries be held at least seven days ahead of a “a similar election” in any other state. … New Hampshire typically holds its primaries on a Tuesday, and if South Carolina moves up to Jan. 19, the latest Tuesday at least seven days earlier will be Jan. 8. And Iowa has a law requiring it to hold its caucuses at least eight days before the nominating contest of any other state. That would push the caucuses ahead to December.
I’m just waiting for the first state to declare that their primary is tomorrow. I was all set to write a post about how we need a national primary instituted by Congress, but it appears that can’t be done constitutionally. But maybe it’s time to consider amending the constitution. I mean, at this rate, some states will be having the 2012 Presidential Primary the Tuesday following next year’s election.
There’s got to be some way to stop this insanity.
Let them move their primaries up as far as they want. Let the two ruling parties choose their candidates as early as possible. Then people can get sick n tired of them all that much earlier. With all that time from when they lock up the nomination to the actual election, a third party becomes ever more viable.
I would actually seriously consider moving to any state that said, “You know what? The campaign process is too damned long. We’re pushing our primary BACK.”
Here is a suggestion : Since the US Congress cannot mandate a primary day, why couldn’t Congress offer an incentive to states that schedule Presidential primary election between two dates in September of the election year. Then the Parties have a convention end of Sept early Oct and then the campaigns will last 24 or 25 days. What kind of incentive you ask? Maybe a financial incentive in the form of a credit for those citizens who pay owe federal income taxes.
Strike the word pay from above