AH challenge: all US primaries held on super tuesday?

[ArKhan]

So, what if all the presidential primaries where held on the same day? How would this effect the outcome, and the political system at large.

 

[Dathi THorfinnsson]

So, what if all the presidential primaries where held on the same day? How would this effect the outcome, and the political system at large.

There are lots of problems with the US Primary system. But one of the advantages of the system as stands is that a relative unknown can make a big splash in the early ones, building momentum as the season progresses. Of course, this hands very significant advantages to Iowa and and New Hampshire. But having all the primaries on a single day would mean than only people with LOTS of money and support stand a chance. This guarantees your selection is limited to 1) party favourites, 2) billionaires, or at least multi-millionaires, or 3) people specifically in the pocket of powerful interest groups.

This would be far worse than the current system, as bad as that may be.

 

[vuun]

There are lots of problems with the US Primary system. But one of the advantages of the system as stands is that a relative unknown can make a big splash in the early ones, building momentum as the season progresses. Of course, this hands very significant advantages to Iowa and and New Hampshire. But having all the primaries on a single day would mean than only people with LOTS of money and support stand a chance. This guarantees your selection is limited to 1) party favourites, 2) billionaires, or at least multi-millionaires, or 3) people specifically in the pocket of powerful interest groups.

This would be far worse than the current system, as bad as that may be.

Interesting. How about keeping a system of staggered primaries, but having states rotate between earlier and later primary dates from one election year to the next?

 

[Dathi THorfinnsson]

Interesting. How about keeping a system of staggered primaries, but having states rotate between earlier and later primary dates from one election year to the next?

Interesting. Not sure how youd manage it, but if you could it might be a good thing.

 

[Ol'GarryBoldwater]

What about something like in The Beyond the Ballot where the larger more moderate states like New Jersey hold their primaries first leading to the Tea Party being obliterated.