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Senators propose U.S. primary overhaul

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1 (UPI) -- Three U.S. senators proposed legislation aimed at revamping the primary system used by the two main U.S. political parties to select candidates for president.

Sens. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn.; Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.; and Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., are pushing the Regional Presidential Primary and Caucus Act as a response to this year's race by states to push primary dates to earlier points in 2008, The Hill reported Wednesday.

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The act would group states beginning with the 2012 elections into four regions that would vote in different months, the Washington newspaper said.

A document outlining the plan said it would "encourage the greatest number of good candidates to enter the race, allow voters an opportunity to hear all candidates' ideas (and) ensure more Americans a chance to cast a meaningful vote."

"Primaries were not intended to be an arms race," Klobuchar, the lead sponsor of the bill, told The Hill. "We seek to give order to this chaotic, messy and unrepresentative process. This schedule gives power and influence back to the voters in every state."

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