Turning back the Primary Election Clock

I can see the latest pollster, calling voters regarding the 2008 presidential election:

“Good morning, I am calling on behalf of the CBS News-N.Y. Times election poll.

If the Democratic primary was being held tomorrow, who would you be supporting for president?”

“Didn’t you hear? The primary IS being held tomorrow.”

The 2008 presidential is in full swing with debate after debate happening on both sides of the aisle. The primary season seems just around the corner. New Jersey decided to move up their primary to an earlier date than usual, the same as many other states. The Democrats in many states are frustrated by a primary process that gives too much power in deciding who the nominee is to the mostly white and rural states like Iowa and New Hampshire.

For New Jersey voters, a June primary was often meaningless, since by that time the presidential field had largely thinned out to include the eventual nominee and…. Dennis Kucinich. Not much of a choice for New Jerseyeans most of the time. Our primary in 2008 will be held on the Super Duper Primary Day of February 5th.

For now, at least, New Jersey will join 21 other states in deciding who gets the total of 1,433 Delegates to be pledged that day. It is the closest thing to a national primary the country has ever experienced.

But wait, the Democratic Party of fourth-most populated state Florida ---who played a big role in both the 2000 [remember that?] and the 2004 elections, has decided to move up their primary day to even before February 5th, to January 29th. The Democratic National Committee, voted “refuse to seat any Florida Democrat at the Democratic presidential convention in 2008 if the state party did not delay the date of its 2008 primary to conform to the party’s nominating calendar."

The DNC has given 30 days to Florida to get their act together, and change their minds.
Conventional wisdom says: Florida will rescind their decision, albeit begrudgingly. Or else this issue will most assuredly end up in court, giving the Democrats unwanted headaches in a state we badly need to win. The D’s have lost Florida twice this century, one at the hands of the Supreme Court. Had the DNC not acted, there might have been an onslaught of earlier and earlier primaries.

On the Republican side, South Carolina is attempting to move their Republican primary day to January 19th.

At this rate, some primary or caucus dates could take place before the end of the summer.

Or maybe this will culminate in the creation of a new concept: ‘flex-primary’ dates ---“The State of Florida's primary will be scheduled two weeks before what ever day will make it the first in the nation, no matter what”.

Now, you can vote early and often, and earlier still.