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The fact one state votes in the first round of primary voting. The first state has 6 months of campaigning for a population which is extremely small. The first primary date is the one time when candidates can build support slowly over time.
For that reason, the first round should have several states in all regions of the country. I would say 4 or 8 (1 or 2 per region). This gives each candidate a chance to fight for a state of their chosing in which they feel they can get traction. Each candidate has 6 months at least to campaign for those primaries, so money is less important.
Any time you let one state start first your are biasing the system. Why do it? Let representatives from all regions has a voice.
Then, take a month off, let the spin and "momentum" subside and let issues recapture the process. Then have another 8 states. After those two are done, then it is clear who is viable and who is not. What you do with the remaining states doesn't matter at that point, but a regular stream of 8 every 2 weeks might work (with a couple extra thrown in here and there).
A brokered convention is not undemocratic, as long as you restrict the winner to the candidates who actually finish in the top 2. Consider round 2 the runoff between the top two finishers (if no one gets a majority).
This does some very good things. Mainly, makes the convention valuable again, and not some glorified political rally the networks don't want to cover anymore.
To facilitate this some rules changes need to be enacted.
Super delegates have got to go. Over 800 out of a total of a little more than 4000 is obscene. Further, the system currently used now with all candidates getting a proportional part of the state delegates needs to change. Also, the delegate alotment needs to change too. Here is my method.
All 50 states get 5 delegates just for being a state For each time a state voted Dem in the presidential election in the last 3 presidential elections, that state would get 5 more delegates. For each congressional district the state gets two delegates. For each congressional district with a Dem Rep, that state gets an additional two delegates.
Estimated number of delegates and the max number 250 - 250 375 - 750 870 - 870 435 - 870 Totals (1930 - 2740)
In addition for places like Wash DC, Guam, PR, etc. you would have additional delegates.
Then, when each state votes, the pluralty winner of the state gets the state related delegates (5 - 20). The winner in each congressional district gets those delegates (2 - 4 each).
The numbers need some work, depending on if you want more or less value for how the state votes in the Presidential election.
I like a system like this because it gives some value to winning the state, while it also gives the non front runner a chance to win parts of the states.
Anyway, I know my system has some flaws as well, but I think it works better than what we have now.
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