The primary season is in full swing for the 2000 presidential elections. The significance of garnering early support in the primaries is strongly hyped by the media, therefore increasing the importance of this segment of the election process. Since 1968, the number of states conducting presidential primaries has tripled.
States scheduling early primaries hope to give their voters a stronger voice.
For states like New Hampshire and Iowa, conducting a primary early in the campaign season means massive media attention. In turn, the media concentration guarantees heavy campaigning on the part of the candidates and, therefore, voters in these states feel a sense of empowerment in the electoral process. The steady decline in voter participation is a problem that both political parties are eager to reverse. In the 1996 presidential election, voter turnout fell below 50 percent for the first time since 1924. The number of voters in the 1998 midterm elections dropped by 2.5 million, as compared to 1994.