Scheduling Super Tuesday, 2008

democratic candidate hillary clinton campaigning @ augsburg college in minneapolis, minnesota, 2 days before twenty-two state vote.

as of february 2007, 8 states planned hold primary or caucus elections on super tuesday, february 5, 2008: alabama, arkansas, delaware, missouri, new mexico democrats, north dakota, oklahoma, utah, , west virginia republicans. increase importance in candidate selection process, several states moved contests, pundits criticized being pure self-interest.

the following states changed elections february 5: alaska, arizona, california, colorado, connecticut, georgia, idaho democrats, illinois, kansas democrats, massachusetts, minnesota, montana republicans, new jersey, new york, , tennessee.

in attempt keep states moving primary or caucus elections earlier, democratic national committee , republican national committee established penalties states holding elections earlier february 5, 2008. result, democratic national committee controversially stripped states of michigan , florida of pledged convention delegates. republican national committee has reduced half number of convention delegates 5 states: wyoming, new hampshire, south carolina, florida, , michigan.

response

advocates earlier elections point out voters have fewer candidates select later contest, because candidates not fare in primaries , caucuses drop out. additionally, presidential campaigns spend large sums of money on advertising, hotel rooms, , campaign staff, can economic boon states holding earlier elections.

critics of earlier polling date claim compress primary campaign cycle down three-week national campaign financially well-off candidates can compete. cnn political pundit bill schneider states:

those states may move on calendar because want cut of action. want less attention paid small states iowa , new hampshire , more attention paid big, diverse states florida , california. run in big states, need big money , national name recognition. obscure contenders need not apply.

others indicate leave voters out of process. in bbc news interview, william f. galvin, massachusetts secretary of commonwealth said:

the people being left out of voters, aren t active in party affairs ... there won t enough time voters focus on these candidates.

regardless of number of states moving election dates earlier , earlier, new hampshire vigorously maintained first in nation primary status. new hampshire state law, secretary of state has sole discretion set date of primary. bill gardner, secretary of state of new hampshire past 31 years, did not rule out dates primary election, , intimated year 2007. ultimately, however, new hampshire primary held on january 8, 2008.