On August 6, the Republican National Committee changed the party’s bylaws on presidential primaries. The author of the plan had worked with Democratic Party officials, so that the two major parties now agree on the timing of presidential primaries and caucuses. This makes it very likely that state legislatures next year will pass bills, making the changes desired by both major parties.
Both parties agree that four particular states, Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina, are the only ones that can hold caucuses or primaries earlier than March 1. State parties that break the rules will lose half their convention delegates and also lose other privileges. It is now likely that the legislatures of Florida and Michigan will repeal state election laws setting the presidential primaries in January.
The Republican National Committee also voted to hold the 2012 convention in Tampa. This is the first time any presidential national convention has been held in Florida, other than in Miami, where the Republicans met in 1968 and 1972.
Republicans also passed a rule that only affects the Republican Party. States that hold caucuses or presidential primaries in March must assign use proportional representation to allocate delegates. Thus, if a presidential candidate polls 22% of the vote cast in a March presidential primary, he or she will be awarded 22% of the state’s delegates.