GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2001
H	1
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 35

 
 
Sponsors:	Representatives Goodwin; and Luebke.	
Referred to:	Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House.	
February 1, 2001

	     
A JOINT RESOLUTION favoring rotating regional presidential primaries.

Whereas, the costs of presidential campaigns have skyrocketed during the last twenty‑five years, preventing many viable candidates, rich in ideas and support, from continuing their campaigns through the entire primary election season on account of the lack of money; and
Whereas, presidential candidates spend more of their time campaigning among the people of states with early presidential primaries than with those states later in the election season calendar; and
Whereas, both of these factors often winnow out candidates before a particular state's voters have the opportunity to vote on all the announced presidential candidates qualifying for the ballot in that state; and
Whereas, the voters of many states are in effect disenfranchised from the process of selecting their party nominees for President because of the growing length of time spent in presidential campaigns; and
Whereas, it is incumbent to give every state and its voters an equal opportunity in the selection of presidential party nominees; and
Whereas, a national presidential primary would defeat the purpose of campaign reform in that only the best‑financed, longest‑campaigning candidates would be able to compete among the states, and even then only among the states with the greatest amount of delegates; Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:
SECTION 1.  North Carolina favors the use of rotating regional presidential primaries beginning with the 2004 presidential election cycle, but retaining the earlier New Hampshire primary and Iowa caucus.
SECTION 2.  This resolution is effective upon ratification.