S.C. primary moves up; others to follow

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Associated Press

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — South Carolina Republicans on Thursday moved their 2008 presidential primary to Jan. 19, triggering a chain reaction among Iowa, New Hampshire and other early voting states that could push the first presidential balloting into December 2007.

South Carolina GOP Chairman Katon Dawson made the announcement with officials from New Hampshire, whom he called allies in protecting the traditional early states' voting order.

"We are here to stand shoulder to shoulder with our friends in New Hampshire to reaffirm the important role that both of our states play in presidential politics," Dawson said.

South Carolina had scheduled its Republican primary for Feb. 2. But at a news conference with New Hampshire Secretary of State Bill Gardner, Dawson said the change to Jan. 19 was needed to protect South Carolina's first-primary-in-the-South tradition.


Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2007-08-08-sc-primary_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip

[William769]

1. And the race is on.

[klook]

2. Just have it tomorrow.

Then "None of the above" will win!

[Yupster]

3. My solution

is to have a scheduleof dates and pick states out of a hat each election cycle to fill in the dates.

It would be more fair since the order would be random and different each election. It would add interest in the process because the lottery could be a televised event.

[bemildred]

4. Have them all on the same day, nationwide.

I know, it will make elections harder to fix and manipulate, but what the heck.