How about a hard reset on America’s August primary madness?
Why are we still holding primary elections in August and September? It doesn’t make sense. It doesn’t make sense for voters, it doesn’t make sense for candidates, and it doesn’t make sense for our election system.
TL;DR
- August and September primaries have low voter turnout due to holidays and the start of school.
- Late primaries give nominees very little time to campaign for the general election.
- Varying primary rules across states (open vs. closed) create confusion and reduce accessibility.
- Federal incentives could encourage states to move primaries to spring or early summer.
- Alternative ideas include a national primary day or a rotating primary calendar.
- Revisiting rules for closed primaries could increase participation by independent voters.
- The current primary system weakens participation and complicates the election process.