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33 minutes ago Elections - AP
By NEDRA PICKLER, Associated Press Writer
ORLANDO, Fla. - The Democratic National Committee formed a 40-member panel Friday to study whether to shake up the dominance that Iowa and New Hampshire wield in presidential elections.
Former Labor Secretary Alexis Herman and Rep. David Price, D-N.C., will lead the commission that is charged with studying the election calendar and recommending any changes.
Officials in Iowa and New Hampshire vigorously oppose any changes. They argue that voters in those states are uniquely engaged in the primary process and give candidates a tough vetting, while a national nominating process would focus on large cities and neglect rural areas.
The commission is the result of pressure from two Michigan Democrats — Sen. Carl Levin and DNC committeewoman Debbie Dingell — who contend that Iowa and New Hampshire lack the diversity to represent the country's interests and that no two states should have such influence on the presidential nomination.
Democratic Party rules require that the two states have the first nominating contests each election year. Victory in those states typically brings momentum that will lead to the nomination, as happened this year when Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., swept both states. Candidates spent much of the early campaign appealing to the interests of voters in Iowa and New Hampshire, two rural states where the population is predominantly white.
On the Net:
It's about time we got this worked out. One of the most glaring problems in our election system, other than corruptable voting machines and political appointees overseeing counts in locked rooms, is the fact that much of the country gets no say at all in the Dem nominee. Ah who am I kidding, they'll fuck it up somehow.
By NEDRA PICKLER, Associated Press Writer
ORLANDO, Fla. - The Democratic National Committee formed a 40-member panel Friday to study whether to shake up the dominance that Iowa and New Hampshire wield in presidential elections.
Former Labor Secretary Alexis Herman and Rep. David Price, D-N.C., will lead the commission that is charged with studying the election calendar and recommending any changes.
Officials in Iowa and New Hampshire vigorously oppose any changes. They argue that voters in those states are uniquely engaged in the primary process and give candidates a tough vetting, while a national nominating process would focus on large cities and neglect rural areas.
The commission is the result of pressure from two Michigan Democrats — Sen. Carl Levin and DNC committeewoman Debbie Dingell — who contend that Iowa and New Hampshire lack the diversity to represent the country's interests and that no two states should have such influence on the presidential nomination.
Democratic Party rules require that the two states have the first nominating contests each election year. Victory in those states typically brings momentum that will lead to the nomination, as happened this year when Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., swept both states. Candidates spent much of the early campaign appealing to the interests of voters in Iowa and New Hampshire, two rural states where the population is predominantly white.
On the Net:
It's about time we got this worked out. One of the most glaring problems in our election system, other than corruptable voting machines and political appointees overseeing counts in locked rooms, is the fact that much of the country gets no say at all in the Dem nominee. Ah who am I kidding, they'll fuck it up somehow.
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