N.H. eyes changes to primary

WASHINGTON – New Hampshire Democrats are proposing their own plan for the 2008 presidential calendar that would leave Iowa and New Hampshire first, closely followed by a couple of contests in states with more diverse populations.

The New Hampshire Democrats want to start the voting a week earlier than in 2004 or to move the general start of other contests back a week to allow room for the changes.

Some Democrats have said they don’t think such a change would be much different than the 2004 primary calendar.

In 2004, the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary were followed a week later by voting in six states.

Democrats on a national commission have been meeting all year to consider how the party’s primary calendar could be changed to give minorities a larger voice in the early selection of presidential candidates.

The commission is scheduled to make its final recommendation Dec. 10.