Why is it every campaign season the primaries always kick off in New Hampshire and Iowa?

Question

Why not Alabama, Mississippi Georgia or Indiana? They are important states too, aren't they?
Why is it then every four years we let a bunch of corn and pig farmers choose for us who they prefer the most for President?

Answer 1

New Hampshire has a state low that says it must be the first state to hold a primary in a presidential election, and it must be a week apart from a similar event in another state. Since Iowa holds a caucus, rather than a primary election, it can go first and has since 1976.

Although these two states have their selection first, that doesn't mean the winners in these states have the election in the bag, it's still possible to someone else to win later on in the primary process.

Since 23 states will now hold their caucuses or primary elections on "Super Duper Tuesday"falling on February 5 in 2008, including heavily populated California and New York, that will be the time that the primary election is decided, unless it is a close vote.

Answer 2

The procedure made it that primaries must start in New Hampshire and Iowa. Thus, candidates wanted to have a good start on the said states to win the nomination.