Limited Voter Participation

• In the states that hold primary elections, the Democratic and Republican parties, rather than the states themselves, manage the primary elections, meaning rules vary across states about voter participation in the primaries. While some states operate open primaries in which any registered voter can participate and need only choose which political party to cast a ballot in, more than 20 states operate closed primaries that limit participation to registered party members. This means independents and other voters who claim no party affiliation cannot participate in the primary elections in states with closed primaries, which include New Jersey, New York, Florida, Pennsylvania and Oregon.
  
  

Varying Levels of State Influence

• States hold their primary elections at different times during an election year. This is an especially important consideration during presidential elections because the states with the earliest primaries have the most influence over the overall presidential nomination process. Historically, the small state of New Hampshire has held the nation's first presidential primary. In the 2008 presidential campaign, two other small states -- Nevada and South Carolina -- followed. Winners in these early primaries often gain campaign momentum and a boost in their fund-raising efforts, while losers often drop out of the race. Meanwhile, states with later primaries, such as South Dakota, which held its 2008 primary in June of that year, have little or no impact on the nomination process because the campaigns were largely decided, with leading candidates of both parties securing most of the delegates needed to claim the nomination. Recognizing this problem, some states have scheduled their primaries earlier in the year to have more influence.
  
  

Campaign Expenses

• As states schedule their primary elections earlier in the year in hopes of wielding more influence over presidential nominations, the primary election system has become "front-loaded," with more primaries scheduled early in presidential election years. This requires more travel and television advertising expenses by campaigns to reach more households across multiple states with the candidates' message. This has greatly increased the cost of national political campaigns.
  
  

Weakening of Political Parties

• Political scientist Thomas R. Dye has characterized the two major U.S. political parties as loose coalitions of individuals and groups seeking sufficient votes to hold a majority in the government, rather than as formal alliances that organize people around broad principles of government and policy. By limiting the influence of political party leaders and giving voters a greater voice in choosing party nominees for president and other offices, the primary election system contributes to this weakening of political parties and their influence over the U.S. political system.