Presidential Primary Calendar

Political parties pick their candidates through a screwy delegate system that includes proportional representation based on the number of party voters in a district, primary elections, and caucuses. But here's my proposal for an updated primary calendar simplified as if parties picked candidates the same way the Electoral College picks presidents. This model of "1/8-1, 1/4-1, 1/2-1, all" cumulative progression could be extended to the delegate system.

The goals I used were to break up the calendar so candidates could get to as many states to campaign in person as possible, to give small states a head start, but to not settle the races before all states got a chance to vote.

The last goal means that with 538 total electoral votes, 270 are needed to win a majority.

First start with small states in the Northeast and West to get to 51 electoral votes (about 1/8 of total votes).

Region	State	Electoral Votes
Northeast	Vermont	3
Northeast	Rhode Island	4
Northeast	New Hampshire	4
Northeast	Maine	4
Northeast	Delaware	3
Northeast	DC	3
Northeast	Connecticut	7
West	Wyoming	3
West	South Dakota	3
West	North Dakota	3
West	Montana	3
West	Idaho	4
West	Hawaii	4
West	Alaska	3
Total	14	51

Then go to more small states in the Midwest, South, and West to add 80 more votes to get to 131 total electoral votes (about 1/4 of total votes).

Region	State	Electoral Votes
Midwest	West Virginia	5
Midwest	Oklahoma	7
Midwest	Kentucky	8
Midwest	Kansas	6
Midwest	Iowa	7
South	South Carolina	8
South	Mississippi	6
South	Arkansas	6
West	Utah	5
West	Oregon	7
West	New Mexico	5
West	Nevada	5
West	Nebraska	5
Total	13	80

Then continue with mid-size states to add 136 more votes to get to 267 total electoral votes (just under 1/2 of total votes):

Region	State	Electoral Votes
Midwest	Wisconsin	10
Midwest	Tennessee	11
Midwest	Missouri	11
Midwest	Minnesota	10
Midwest	Indiana	11
Northeast	Massachusetts	12
Northeast	Maryland	10
South	Virginia	13
South	Louisiana	9
South	Alabama	9
West	Washington	11
West	Colorado	9
West	Arizona	10
Total	13	136

Then finish in one big bang to allocate the last 271 needed electoral votes and pick the winner:

Region	State	Electoral Votes
Midwest	Ohio	20
Midwest	Michigan	17
Midwest	Illinois	21
Northeast	Pennsylvania	21
Northeast	New York	31
Northeast	New Jersey	15
South	Texas	34
South	North Carolina	15
South	Georgia	15
South	Florida	27
West	California	55
Total	11	271