Michigan Approves New January 15 Primary

LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan legislature yesterday approved moving the state's presidential nomination contests to January 15, just days after national Democrats vowed to punish states that vote too early.

Governor Granholm is expected to sign the bill, but approval of the switch is far from certain. A disagreement among state Democratic leaders over whether to hold a primary or a caucus is complicating final action.

If it moves up, Michigan Democrats risk losing all their national convention delegates, while Republicans risk losing half.

Seeking to impose discipline on the states, the Democratic National Committee's rules committee voted on August 25 to take away Florida's 210 delegates to the party's nominating convention in Denver next summer.

Florida Democrats were given 30 days to submit an alternative to its planned January 29 primary.