RNC Rules Force Maryland Primary Shift, Protecting Iowa's Role

National party rules and federal military voting requirements are reshaping the primary calendar in Maryland, and the changes reinforce Iowa's crucial first-in-the-nation status. A new bipartisan proposal in the Maryland legislature would push the state's presidential primary from February to April, backing down from an earlier attempt to steal the national spotlight.

National Parties Defend Iowa's Early Status

In 2007, Maryland tried to jump the line. State leaders moved their presidential primary to February and teamed up with Virginia and Washington, D.C., to create the so-called Potomac Primary. The goal was to grab national attention, but it directly threatened the traditional early nominating calendar that gives Iowa and New Hampshire their outsized influence.

Now, the national parties are cracking down. The Republican National Committee is using a strict penalty system to keep states in line. Any state that holds a contest before April 1 faces a proportional allocation of delegates, rather than the winner-take-all system that attracts presidential candidates. The Democratic National Committee is offering a carrot instead of a stick, promising extra convention delegates to states that wait until after March 1.

These rules ensure that early states like Iowa maintain their unique position to vet candidates up close, rather than being overshadowed by coastal states trying to game the calendar.

Supporting Military Voters With the MOVE Act

The Maryland proposal also addresses a critical issue for our men and women serving overseas. The measure would move the state's primary for local and state offices from mid-September to the last Tuesday in June.

This change is necessary to comply with the federal Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment (MOVE) Act. The law requires states to send ballots to military members and other Americans overseas at least 45 days before a federal election. Maryland's tight timeline between its September primary and the November general election simply did not leave enough time to finalize, print and mail ballots to troops abroad last year.

Moving the primary to June ensures our military heroes have the time they need to exercise their right to vote, a fundamental priority for protecting individual liberty and honoring their service.

Rare Bipartisan Agreement in Annapolis

The push to change the primary dates has brought together both sides of the aisle in Maryland. Democratic and Republican leaders are joining forces with the governor's office to make the shift.