Primaries: We Gotta Do Better Than This

By Marvin King

Earlier I complained about the absurdity of Iowa always hosting the first caucus. I made the mistake of complaining while not offering a constructive solution.

So, here’s my solution.

Of course, the solution requires people being willing to forego a tradition that repeatedly gives disproportionate weight to one very small state. Furthermore, what many do not realize is that Iowa has only hosted the first presidential primary since 1972. For the first 180 years of American history Iowa didn’t go first. It’s time we return to that tradition.

This year there are more than twenty caucus and primary dates. This is way too many. In fact, it makes democracy even more dysfunctional than we’re willing to admit. It needlessly lengthens the process.

Instead, we should have both a rotating and regional schedule. States should vote in clusters: Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Southwest, Midwest, Upper Midwest, Plains, Rocky Mountain West, and finally the West Coast. We already have something similar to this when on April 24 five northeastern states will share a primary date.

Individual states could always have the prerogative of scheduling their primary or caucus on a stand-alone date, but the parties should discourage this by reducing the number of delegates that states could sit at the national conventions.

More importantly, the order should rotate each election cycle. For instance, the Plains states could kick off the nominating process in 2016 but then they would have to go last in 2020, while another region takes their place at the top of schedule. This also eliminates the horse racing we’re seeing quite a bit of these days between states wanting top dog primary status.

While suburban strip malls dot the landscape in all 50 states, each region has its own synchronicities (just as Iowa does). Each region has different people, different accents, different economies, and most important, different priorities. Let all Americans share in the ability to winnow the field, which is the real, but very critical purpose of the Iowa caucuses. Just ask Michele Bachmann.

MARVIN KING received his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of North Texas and is now an Associate Professor of Political Science with a joint appointment in the African American Studies Program at the University of Mississippi. He conducts research into how political institutions affect African American politics. Marvin is available for public speaking engagements and you can follow him on Twitter @kingpolitics

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