[LexBaird]

Up until this Presidental election, most, if not all, candidates announced in the fall; Sept, Oct. and even November, only one year before the General Election.

Your post made me curious, so I looked it up. Here's when the candidates entered the 2004 race:

LaRouche: Dec. 27, 2000
Dean: March, 2002
Edwards: Jan. 2, 2003
Gephardt: Jan. 5, 2003
Sharpton: Jan. 5, 2003
Leiberman: Jan. 13, 2003
Braun: Feb. 18, 2003
Kuchinich: Feb. 22, 2003
Bush: May, 16, 2003
Kerry: Sept. 2, 2003
Clark: Sept. 16, 2003

[SuziQ]

So with the exception of the perennial candidate, Lyndon Larouche, it was just before the LAST election that folks started jumping in early. Doesn’t mean anyone HAS to do that, they just chose to do that.