Primary Caucus The Republican National Committee imposed strict new rules for states wishing to hold early contests in 2016 . Under these rules , no state was permitted to hold a primary or caucus in January ; only Iowa , New Hampshire , South Carolina and Nevada were entitled to February contests . States with primaries or caucuses in early March were to award their delegates proportionally . Any state that might have violated these rules was to have their delegation to the 2016 convention severely cut : states with more than 30 delegates would have been deprived of all but nine , plus members from that state ; states with fewer than 30 would have been reduced to six , plus members . In contrast to the 2012 cycle no states violated these rules
2016 convention
2016 Republican National Convention
2016 Republican Party presidential primaries