Iowa Caucus: First No More?Baltimoresun.com
Democrats consider shifting their primaries; proposals focus on fixing 'front-loading' of contests
The three major proposals before the Democratic Party's Commission on Presidential Nomination Timing and Scheduling [focus] on regional primaries. Two proposals would allow Iowa and New Hampshire to retain their leadoff roles in the candidate selection process.
A third plan, offered by Michigan Democrats, would create a rotating series of six regional primaries: a different region would launch each presidential nominating season. It would allow single-state contests to begin the process, but those states would be rotated. "Share the wealth," said Michigan Sen. Carl Levin. "I would not lock in specific states."
Activists from Iowa and New Hampshire vowed to defend their leadoff status and said the problem the party faces is excessive "front-loading." In 2004, 30 states had held delegate selection contests by mid-March.
...Backers of the status of Iowa and New Hampshire argue that those states have traditionally opened the nominating season and that voters there take their politics seriously.
...Leslie Reynolds of the National Association of Secretaries of State said her group favored a plan dividing the country into four regions that would hold rotating primaries. Those elections would follow Iowa's leadoff caucuses and New Hampshire's opening primary.
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