Response to “An Incremental Approach to PresidentialNomination Reform” and “Meaningful Participation and the Evolutionof the Reformed Presidential Nominating System”

Extract

In the January issue of PS, papers by William Mayerand by Lonna Atkeson and Cherie Maestas investigate reforms of theparty nomination procedure for presidential candidates. In order toavoid the amplification of name recognition and early fundraisingadvantages, as these effects resulted from the “frontloading” ofstate nominations ('08 Tsunami Tuesday), broader “spacing” betweenprimary dates may be required. But such an expansion of thesequential voting principle carries an unfortunate disadvantageignored in the papers. This disadvantage is the, however unintended,consequence of candidates manipulating their program in accordanceto methods through which votes are being cast.