In case you haven't heard, the RNC met last week and it's Rules Committee passed a proposal that takes a shot at fixing the front-loaded presidential primary mess by spreading things out a bit...and keeping smaller states up at the front of the pack. It still has to clear the full committee and then the national convention this summer, but it's a good start.
Although it's a little "dry" for those who aren't "into" party rules, here's a copy of the potential new rule :
(1) No primary, caucus or convention to elect, select or allocate delegates to the national convention shall occur prior to the first week of February in the year in which a national convention is held. For the purposes of delegate election, selection or allocation through presidential primaries, cuacuses or conventions, all other states and territories shall be grouped as follows:
Small States and Territories: Alaska, Deleware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, Wyoming, American Samoa, Guam, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Northern Mariana Islands
Rotating Pod X: Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Wisconsin, Utah and Washington
Rotating Pod Y: Arizona, California, Connecticut, Indiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia
Rotating Pod Z: Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania
(2) A lottery shall determine in which order the Rotating Pods X, Y and Z will hold their presidential primaries, caucuses or conventions for the 2012 presidential year. In the next presidential election year, the former first pod shall become the last pod, and the other pods shall move forward in the scheduled order of position. Each Rotating Pod shall be first once every three presidential election years.
(3) Iowa and New Hampshire may begin their process at any time during the 1st week of February in a year in which a national convention is held. South Carolina and Nevada may begin their process at any time after New Hampshire conducts its process. The Small States and Territories pod shall hold its primaries, caucuses or conventions beginning no earlier than the Monday of the 3rd week of February. The first Rotating Pod shall hold its primaries, caucuses or conventions beginning no earlier than the Monday of the 1st full week of March. The second Rotating Pod shall hold its primaries, caucuses or conventions beginning no earlier than the Monday of the 4th full week of March. The third Rotating Pod shall hold its primaries, caucuses or conventions beginning no earlier than the Monday of the 3rd full week in April.
(4) Any state or territory may choose to opt out of their respective pod and hold its primary, caucus or convention later in the cycle. That decision must be made no later than July 1st of the odd numbered year preceding a presidential election year.
