Presidential Nominations Reform

Our presidential nomination process is breaking down. Chaos is the only constant -- with two states holding outsized influence, multi-candidate fields often producing no consensus winner, confusion over the roles of delegates and superdelegates, disparate rules from state to state, and states scrambling to "frontload" to the beginning of the calendar, clearly it is time to overhaul the presidential nomination system to make it more equitable, simple, and democratic.

National Presidential Caucus for 2012 Reform

FairVote is pleased to support National Caucus in its call for vigorous and widespread discussion and deliberation about how best to reform the presidential nomination calendar for future elections. [more] 


 

Solutions

There are a lot of alternative systems the parties could use to nominate their presidential contenders. Click the links to read about some that strive to make the process saner and allow more voters to be heard, including the FairVote-backed American Plan.

Delegating Democracy

Rob Richie, Adam Fogel // April 3, 2008

Parties have great opportunities to review and improve their election systems by incorporating reforms that give more voters an equal voice and an equal vote. From representative delegate allocation regimes to ranked choice voting and expanded suffrage rights, a political party's nomination process can be a true laboratory of democracy.

News on Nomination Reform

  • Caucuses will face attacks before 2012

    January 6, 2008

    FairVote's Rob Richie is quoted in this story covering various attempts by the parties to fix the malfunctioning primary schedule.

  • The Primary Problem

    September 2, 2007 // The New York Times

    An editorial call to fix the primaries system, with a particular nod to the FairVote-backed American Plan.