Understanding Iowa & New Hampshire

As with most primary elections, New Hampshire's delegates to the national convention are chosen based on a direct count of the popular vote. The New Hampshire primary allows independents to vote in whichever primary election they choose, but prohibits them from voting more than once.

WHY ARE IOWA AND NEW HAMPSHIRE IMPORTANT?

Since claiming the title of 'first state to hold a presidential primary election each cycle', New Hampshire's political clout has increased dramatically. People look to the contest as the first binding indication of who voters support, and a top finish in the primary can give candidates crucial momentum as they move into other state contests. New Hampshire state records indicate that in the last seven contested Democratic primaries, only 1984's winner (Colorado Sen. Gary Hart) and 1992's winner (former Massachusetts Sen. Paul Tsongas) failed to later win their party's nomination. On the Republican side over the same time period, only the 2000 winner (Arizona Sen. John McCain) and the 1996 winner (Pat Buchanan) failed to later win their party's nomination.

Although Iowa voters have used the caucus system for deciding political issues since before they achieved statehood in 1846, they did not begin to come into the national spotlight until the 1972 presidential campaign. The Iowa Democratic Party instituted reforms in their delegate selection process during the early 1970s that required a longer amount of time between the precinct, county, district and state caucuses. As a result, they had to move their party's 1972 precinct caucuses up to Jan. 24, making it the first nominating contest in the nation. The Iowa Republican Party moved their precinct caucuses up to the same date as the Democrats' in 1976. That year, Democrat Jimmy Carter won the caucus. Carter went on to win the Democratic nomination and the White House.

A NUMBER OF STATES MOVED UP THEIR PRIMARY AND CAUCUS DATES THIS YEAR. HAS THIS HAD ANY EFFECT ON THE IMPORTANCE OF THE IOWA AND NEW HAMPSHIRE CONTESTS?

For now, at least, Iowa and New Hampshire will still carry a lot of weight in the presidential nominating process for both major parties. This comes despite efforts earlier this year in a number of states to increase their importance in the nominating process by moving their primary dates up. The clearest indication of this can be seen in the number of contests being held Feb. 5. While only eight states were scheduled to hold contests on that date at the beginning of this year, an additional 12 states later moved their own primaries and caucuses up to that date. What was once considered "Super Tuesday" has now been dubbed "Super-Duper Tuesday" by various media outlets.

These efforts have not had a negative effect on the importance of the Iowa and New Hampshire contests, according to Candice Nelson, a professor at American University's School of Public Affairs.

"Even this year, with the system being more frontloaded than it's ever been before, Iowa and New Hampshire have remained just as important to the presidential nominating process -- if not more so," she said.