On April 21, the Nevada Republican State Central Committee voted to move its 2008 presidential caucus from April, to January 19. A national Republican Party rule says that any state (other than New Hampshire and Iowa) that chooses its delegates before February 5 will lose half its delegate slots. But the Nevada Republican Party made its decision anyway. Nevada Democrats were already holding their caucus on January 19, and Nevada Republicans felt the Democrats would gain an advantage in that state if Republicans held back.
Go, Nevada! It’s about time someone broke New Hampshire and Iowa’s power over the major party nominations.
You wouldn’t say that if you knew the cost was 50% delegate allotment to the national convention. This was a bad idea, but we’ll move on and work with it.
Howard Hirsch, Chairman
Lyon County Republican Central Committee
Dayton, Nevada
I could not find a reference to exclude NH and IA from the February 5, 2008 date in the GOP rules. The timing rules include a 50% and a 90% penalty along with exclusion of RNC members.
http://www.gop.com/About/AboutRead.aspx?AboutType=4&Section=16
RULE NO. 15
Election of Delegates and Alternate Delegates
(4.b.1.i) No presidential primary, caucus, convention, or other meeting may be held for the purpose of voting for a presidential candidate and/or selecting delegates or alternate delegates to the national convention, prior to the first Tuesday of February in the year in which the national convention is held …
RULE NO. 16
Enforcement of Rules
(a) If any state or state party violates the Rules of the Republican Party relating to the timing of the selection process resulting in the election of delegates or alternate delegates to the next national convention, such state shall suffer a loss of its delegates and alternate delegates to that national convention as follows:
(1) If a state or state party violates the Rules of the Republican Party relating to the timing of the selection process resulting in the election of delegates or alternate delegates to the national convention before the call to the national convention is issued, then the number of delegates to the national convention from that state shall be reduced by fifty percent (50%), and the corresponding alternated delegates shall also be reduced.
(2) If a state or state party violates the Rules of the Republican Party relating to the timing of the selection process resulting in the election of delegates or alternate delegates to the national convention after the call to the national convention is issued, then the number of delegates to the national convention from that state shall be reduced by ninety percent (90%), and the corresponding alternate delegates shall also be reduced.
(e) If a state or state party is determined to be in violation:
(1) No member of the Republican National Committee from the offending state shall be permitted to serve as a delegate or alternate delegate to the national convention.