Massachusetts would join other states adopting earlier party primary elections under a new schedule sought by Secretary of State William F. Galvin, who wants to make the state's vote more relevant to the presidential nominating process by changing the date from March 4 to Feb. 5.
The change could give Massachusetts, which has long been a backwater in presidential nominations, a greater role in the national campaigns while energizing voters and boosting registrations, Galvin said.
A bonus: He said the plan would also save money by scheduling up to five special legislative elections on the same day.
Galvin has been rounding up support for his plan on Beacon Hill and said it could be adopted before the Legislature ends its session on Nov. 21. If approved, Massachusetts would be joining other states that have scrambled to reschedule their primaries for Feb. 5.
"February 5 has become a de facto national primary day," Galvin said. "This gives Massachusetts voters the first chance in years to participate in some significant way in the selection process for nominees in both parties."
Most analysts agree that the results of Feb. 5 primaries could well mark the end of the presidential nominating races in both parties. There will be as many as 21 primaries that day, including votes in delegate-rich states of New York, New Jersey, Illinois, and California.
There is a risk that Massachusetts, by changing its schedule, could lose influence if either party emerges from the Feb. 5 blizzard of primary results without a clear nominee.
Still, initial reactions from Democratic state and party leaders were favorable. Senate President Therese Murray, while holding off on a full endorsement, said Galvin has made strong arguments for the date change.
House Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi said he supports the plan and feels it will get the needed legislative approval before the House and Senate adjourn Nov. 21. Democratic Party chairman John Walsh also supports the idea.
"I think Massachusetts should be more relevant in the presidential primary," DiMasi said. "I think we can get this done before we leave."
Iowa will kick off the delegate selection with its Jan. 3 caucus, and New Hampshire will follow with its traditional first-in-the-nation primary.
If Massachusetts were to keep its primary March 4, about 36 states would have already held primaries and caucuses. The only other states still scheduled to vote in March are Rhode Island, Ohio, Texas, Vermont, Mississippi, and Wyoming.
The new date for a Massachusetts primary could create a political problem for Mitt Romney. The former governor, who is not as popular among Bay State Republicans as he once was, may be forced to compete here in an effort to avoid an embarrassing loss in his home state.
Galvin said that, with New Hampshire likely to set its primary in early January, the media attention to the races there will spur voter interest and registration in Massachusetts, especially if the state's election is perceived to be influential in the process, instead of just an afterthought.
Galvin, who must oversee the special races to fill vacant House and Senate seats, also said the state could save more than $100,000 on ballot production and employee costs by scheduling party primary elections for what could be as many as five or six legislative vacancies for the same time as the statewide primaries. This also would increase turnout in those local races.
