[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 17]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 23859]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  SHIFTING TOWARDS A REGIONAL PRIMARY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ALCEE L. HASTINGS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 6, 2007

  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce the 
Regional Presidential Primary and Caucus Act of 2007. This companion 
legislation to the work of my friends Senator Klobuchar, Senator 
Lieberman, and Senator Alexander reflects an effective, equitable 
alternative to the current system used to determine presidential 
primary election dates.
  As we have seen with the current disputed primary date in Florida and 
its partisan implications, our political parties have shown that they 
may not be the most appropriate administrators of this vital part of 
the presidential election process. Other states face similar disputes 
as each vie to enact earlier primaries to increase their influence in 
the selection of presidential candidates. It is apparent that with this 
trend, money is gaining even more influence in politics. When 
candidates have less time for citizens to evaluate their merit and less 
time to raise necessary campaign funds, the voices of many continue to 
be marginalized.
  We need a more equitable system. Every person in every state deserves 
an equal opportunity to engage the selection of presidential 
candidates. Unless we enact legislation to restructure this system in a 
non-partisan manner, we will never have a system that takes into 
account the true principles of democracy upon which this nation was 
founded. The Regional Presidential Primary and Caucus Act of 2007 is a 
necessary step towards more equitable elections. This legislation 
reflects components of a plan previously advanced by the National 
Association of Secretaries of State and the suggestions of chief 
election administrators throughout the nation.
  The Regional Presidential Primary and Caucus Act of 2007 establishes 
four geographic regions and four regional primary/caucus dates in each 
presidential election year. Under the bill, beginning in 2012 and on a 
rotating basis during each presidential election year, states in one 
region will hold their presidential primary elections on the first 
Tuesday in March. States in the next region will hold their primary 
elections on the first Tuesday in April, states in the next region on 
the first Tuesday in May, and states in the final region on the first 
Tuesday of June. The order of regions will rotate in each of the 4 
years, ensuring that all states have the opportunity to hold their 
primary election first in the cycle once every four presidential 
elections.
  I call upon my colleagues of the House of Representatives to support 
this commonsense approach to improving the administration of 
presidential primary election dates.

                          ____________________