The Rotation of States:

To solve the problem of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina always being first, we should rotate the states for each election cycle.  To make this dynamic feature easy to implement and maintain, keep it simple by going in alphabetical order.  Due to having a minimum of 3 states vote on any particular date, this will usually generate a beneficial cross-section of states (north and south; eastern, central and western; small, medium and large) for each phase of the election cycle.*  The rotation will be conducted by making the first 12 states in one election year drop to the bottom of the list for the next cycle.**

 

*  Some may object to the travel costs required by some combinations of early states that would arise from this process. Answer: Advancements in technology continue to make travel and communication more feasible for candidates. Besides, currently successful campaigns have to make travel decisions across Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina as it is. This proposal would not create a burden that is appreciably different from the status quo. The benefit of having simultaneous contests from a variety of states outweighs the potential costs of travel.

 

** The state rotation results for 2020-2044 are provided below.

 

 2020         2024         2028         2032         2036         2040         2044

 Alabama                Illinois                   Missouri                 Oregon                  Wisconsin              Hawaii                   Minnesota 

 Alaska                   Indiana                  Montana                Pennsylvania         Wyoming                Idaho                    Mississippi

 Arizona                  Iowa                     Nebraska               Rhode Island          Alabama                Illinois                   Missouri

 

 Arkansas               Kansas                  Nevada                 South Carolina        Alaska                   Indiana                  Montana

 California               Kentucky               New Hampshire     South Dakota         Arizona                  Iowa                      Nebraska

 Colorado               Louisiana               New Jersey          Tennessee             Arkansas               Kansas                  Nevada

 

 Connecticut           Maine                    New Mexico           Texas                     California               Kentucky               New Hampshire

 Delaware               Maryland & D.C.      New York               Utah                       Colorado                Louisiana              New Jersey

 Florida                   Massachusetts     North Carolina       Vermont                 Connecticut           Maine                    New Mexico

 Georgia                  Michigan                North Dakota         Virginia                   Delaware               Maryland & D.C.     New York

 Hawaii                   Minnesota              Ohio                       Washington           Florida                   Massachusetts    North Carolina

 Idaho                     Mississippi             Oklahoma              West Virginia          Georgia                  Michigan               North Dakota

 

 Illinois                    Missouri                 Oregon                  Wisconsin              Hawaii                    Minnesota            Ohio

 Indiana                   Montana                Pennsylvania        Wyoming                Idaho                      Mississippi           Oklahoma

 Iowa                       Nebraska              Rhode Island         Alabama                 Illinois                     Missouri               Oregon

 

 Kansas                   Nevada                 South Carolina       Alaska                    Indiana                   Montana               Pennsylvania

 Kentucky                New Hampshire    South Dakota         Arizona                   Iowa                       Nebraska             Rhode Island

 Louisiana               New Jersey          Tennessee             Arkansas               Kansas                    Nevada                South Carolina

 

 Maine                     New Mexico           Texas                     California               Kentucky                 New Hampshire   South Dakota

 Maryland & D.C.      New York                Utah                       Colorado               Louisiana                 New Jersey        Tennessee

 Massachusetts     North Carolina       Vermont                 Connecticut           Maine                       New Mexico         Texas

 Michigan                North Dakota         Virginia                   Delaware               Maryland & D.C.        New York              Utah

 Minnesota              Ohio                      Washington            Florida                   Massachusetts       North Carolina     Vermont

 Mississippi             Oklahoma              West Virginia          Georgia                  Michigan                  North Dakota       Virginia

 

 Missouri                 Oregon                  Wisconsin               Hawaii                   Minnesota                Ohio                    Washington

 Montana                Pennsylvania         Wyoming                Idaho                     Mississippi               Oklahoma            West Virginia

 Nebraska               Rhode Island         Alabama                 Illinois                    Missouri                   Oregon                Wisconsin

 

 Nevada                  South Carolina       Alaska                    Indiana                  Montana                   Pennsylvania      Wyoming

 New Hampshire     South Dakota         Arizona                   Iowa                      Nebraska                 Rhode Island       Alabama

 New Jersey           Tennessee            Arkansas                Kansas                  Nevada                    South Carolina     Alaska

 

 New Mexico           Texas                    California                Kentucky                New Hampshire       South Dakota        Arizona

 New York                Utah                     Colorado                 Louisiana               New Jersey             Tennessee           Arkansas

 North Carolina        Vermont               Connecticut            Maine                     New Mexico              Texas                   California

 North Dakota          Virginia                 Delaware                Maryland & D.C.      New York                   Utah                     Colorado

 Ohio                        Washington         Florida                    Massachusetts     North Carolina           Vermont               Connecticut

 Oklahoma               West Virginia        Georgia                   Michigan                North Dakota             Virginia                 Delaware

 

 Oregon                   Wisconsin             Hawaii                    Minnesota              Ohio                          Washington          Florida

 Pennsylvania         Wyoming               Idaho                      Mississippi             Oklahoma                 West Virginia         Georgia

 Rhode Island          Alabama                Illinois                    Missouri                 Oregon                      Wisconsin            Hawaii

 South Carolina        Alaska                   Indiana                   Montana                Pennsylvania            Wyoming              Idaho

 South Dakota          Arizona                  Iowa                       Nebraska              Rhode Island             Alabama               Illinois

 Tennessee             Arkansas                Kansas                  Nevada                  South Carolina          Alaska                  Indiana

 

 Texas                     California               Kentucky                 New Hampshire     South Dakota            Arizona                 Iowa

 Utah                       Colorado                Louisiana                New Jersey          Tennessee                Arkansas              Kansas

 Vermont                 Connecticut           Maine                      New Mexico           Texas                        California              Kentucky

 Virginia                   Delaware               Maryland & D.C.       New York                Utah                          Colorado              Louisiana

 Washington           Florida                   Massachusetts       North Carolina       Vermont                    Connecticut         Maine

 West Virginia          Georgia                  Michigan                 North Dakota          Virginia                     Delaware             Maryland & D.C.

 Wisconsin              Hawaii                   Minnesota               Ohio                        Washington              Florida                Massachusetts

 Wyoming                Idaho                     Mississippi              Oklahoma               West Virginia            Georgia                Michigan