U.S. Presidential Primary Reform

We the undersigned agree, that due to the ever increasing competition between states to hold  their presidential primaries ever sooner on the calender (also known as front loading) in the U.S. Presidential Primary system, a formal nationally agreed upon system needs to be put in place.   

We believe the proposal put forth by the National Association of Secretaries of  State (NASS) should be considered and voted upon at the national conventions of the Republican and Democratic parties this summer 2008. The NASS proposal recommends a rotating regional primary system as the fairest and most rational means of states taking their turns at voting for presidential nominees.  The country would be divided into four regions (Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, and Southwest), with Iowa and New Hampshire still being able to vote first.

(More information on the NASS  proposal is available at nass.org.  There is  excellent detail at the NASS site on the background, thinking and support behind the proposal)

Addendum - June 5, 2008

We the undersigned further assert that if the NASS plan, specifically, is not adopted then some sort of fair formal rotating U.S. presidential primary system be adopted.

(Addendum  - June 2, 2008
Note from the petition author:
I chose the NASS plan for the petition as a starting point for presidential primary reform.  No plan is perfect, but having a rotating regional primary plan is the fairest and most practical, of the types of reform plans I studied.  Signers are encouraged to add any notes to their comment section for needs for further presidential electoral reforms. 

Another option for states to have an opportunity for early participation in the process is to organize debate(s) in combination with sophisticated polling, prior to primary season - this could amount to a  21st century version of straw-polling )

Find out more about election reform at http://donaldsplace.net/reform