Legally, could Iowa and / or New Hampshire set thier presidential caucus/primary for September 1st, 2007? I’m not asking if it is good idea, just asking if there is any reason they couldn’t. (I’m guessing setting them for August 14 might run up agaianst minimum notice laws, but maybe not)
(Having the caucus before the straw poll might also be weird)
Brian
I don’t see any legal reason that they couldn’t. If so, it would be in their State Constitution.
It’s entire a State matter, nothing to do with the Federal government. (Unless they start to collect a poll tax, or restrict voting to whites, etc.) It’s deciding how their state will assign its votes at national Party Endorsing Conventions.
But the Conventions are under the control of the Parties. They could make rules that restrict this (at least to the extent of denying recognition to the states’ delegates). I believe the National Democratic Committee already has such a policy – if any state moves their delegate selection process earlier than Iowa or New Hampshire, those delegates will not be seated at the Convention.
But that’s an internal Party matter, not a legal restriction.
In the case of New Hampshire, not only could they, it is mandated by state law that their primary precede any other in the country by seven days. So if another state moves their primary to the Fourth of July, the New Hampshire Secretary of State is bound by the law to move the date of the NH primary to June 28th.
Hmm, it would be “intersting” if a state set thier primary for August 14th. Not even New Hampshire can set thier primary before today 
For open primaries, how do the parties agree on a date? (presumably the Democratic / Republican / Monarchy / Cthuhlu caucuses could be on different dates for a particular state)
Brian