The Michigan Rules

Michigan is no stranger to controversy when it comes to presidential nominating politics, but it has outdone itself by scheduling its 2008 presidential primary just two weeks after New Year's. the entire January calendar was still in chaos in October 2007, less three months before the voting was to begin.

Whether Michigan's move to Jan. 15 is a shrewd one is yet to be seen. the state has been threatened with the loss of all of its Democratic delegates and half of its Republican delegates for choosing to vote so early. Democratic leaders in other states, most notably New Hampshire and Iowa, have worked to keep Democratic candidates out of Michigan and Florida by asking the major players to sign a pledge not to campaign in either of those "rogue" states. In addition, several Democratic candidates—including Barack Obama and John Edwards—opted out of Michigan's Democratic primary before the Oct. 9 withdrawal deadline. Their departure has left the future of the Jan. 15 primary in some doubt.

According to the secretary of state's office, the two parties have until Nov. 14 to decide whether to go ahead with their primary. If one party elects to continue, then the primary will be held. At this point, the Democrats would be more likely than the Republicans to pull out. Michigan Democrats had initially planned to hold caucuses (in the form of a party-run "firehall primary") on Feb. 9.

There is no party registration in Michigan. If the Jan. 15 primary does take place, any of the state's 7,180,778 registered voters (as of October 2006) can participate in either the Democratic or Republican events.