Think the 2012 elections seem about as distant as the return of economic prosperity?

Think again. New Hampshire expects to kick off its presidential campaign season next month with a visit from rumored GOP hopeful, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

Such early starts are encouraged by the free-for-all that encourages states to jockey for earlier and earlier primary dates in the hopes of getting noticed by the candidates – a system that is coming under deserved fire once again.

New Hampshire held its earliest-ever presidential primary in 2008, having moved the election to Jan. 8 to preserve the state’s traditional leadoff spot in the national nomination season.

Seventeen other states moved up their election dates as well, prompting candidates to begin campaigning a full year ahead of the election. It was the longest, most expensive and most frontloaded presidential primary election ever.

A system that promotes chaos and unfairness doesn’t sit well with the nation’s election arbiters. The National Association of Secretaries of State is hoping to replace the current system with rotating regional primaries beginning in March and lasting through June.

New Hampshire and Iowa would keep their spots at the head of the line – some battles are beyond fighting – but instead of states leapfrogging to be second, that honor would belong to a different region every four years.

The idea was a good one 10 years ago – when then-U.S. Sen. Slade Gorton (R-Wash.) advanced just such a reform – and it’s only improved with age. In 2000, nine states held their primaries before March; last year, 37 states including Washington voted that early.

Secretary of State Sam Reed – whose predecessor Ralph Munro was also a fan of regional presidential primaries – is helping make the case to political parties. Last week, he spoke to a Republican National Committee panel that is considering changes in the 2012 primary calendar.

Getting the parties to sign off on the plan is crucial. They determine which votes count toward nomination; a system that doesn’t have their support becomes little more than a collection of expensive beauty contests.

Reed says the plan would encourage candidates to become better versed on significant regional issues and give more Americans a shot at face-time with the frontrunners. Those are important considerations, but probably nothing else will recommend regional primaries to weary voters like the promise of a shorter campaign season.

Some way, somehow, the nation must get a handle on the presidential nomination process and the interminably long campaign season it produces. Regional presidential primaries is a good contender.