Presidential Nominating Process: Current Issues

"The presidential nominating calendar for 2012 is still unsettled, as some state and party officials continue to consider date changes for primaries and caucuses in response to recent scheduling changes. Consequently, the dates of the earliest contests in Iowa and New Hampshire are still unknown. These two states, along with South Carolina and Nevada, are exempt from both parties’ national rules that do not allow delegate selection contests to be held before the first Tuesday in March. On September 30, 2011, officials in Florida announced that the state will hold a January 31, 2012, primary, in violation of party rules, which prompted South Carolina and Nevada to schedule an unsanctioned event as well. South Carolina will hold its primary on January 21, and
Nevada Republicans have scheduled party caucuses for January 14. States that violate the timing
rules risk losing half their delegates..."