GOP upholds penalties for early voting states
COLUMBIA --- The Republican National Committee on Friday made its penalties stick against South Carolina, New Hampshire, Florida and Michigan for holding primaries earlier than rules allowed.
South Carolina state Rep. Alan Clemmons, a member of the credentials committee, said Friday that those states all lost half their delegates by holding primaries too early.
Democrats sanctioned Michigan and Florida for holding primaries too early, but the Democratic National Committee relented Sunday and restored their full delegate voting rights.
"I think Republicans are more accustomed to following the rules," Mr. Clemmons quipped.
South Carolina GOP Chairman Katon Dawson said he was more than willing to give up delegate counts to keep the Palmetto State's status as the nation's first primary in the South.
After Iowa's caucuses, New Hampshire and South Carolina have followed with primaries for years. The Republican National Committee is expected to formalize those leadoff slots Monday with a rules change for the 2012 primary schedule.
In other news
SOUTH CAROLINA GOV. Mark Sanford will speak Monday night at the Republican convention on behalf of the Republican Governors Association, Sanford spokesman Joel Sawyer said Friday.
BARACK OBAMA'S audience for his acceptance speech likely topped 40 million people, and the Democratic gathering was a more popular television event than any other political convention in history. More people watched Mr. Obama speak Thursday than watched the Olympics' opening ceremony in Beijing, the final American Idol or the Academy Awards this year, Nielsen Media Research said Friday.
-- Associated Press
Comments
How can we expect our young people to abide by rules and laws when people who are supposed to be responsible adults can't even abide by them? The way the primaries are done now is stupid. All primary elections in all states should be held on the same day and all the candidates for both parties should be listed on one ballot and the voter should only be allowed to vote for one individual for each office regardless of party affiliation.
The Augusta Chronicle ©2012. All Rights Reserved.
