by Mark Silva
Florida knows something about votes not counting.
And Florida’s Democrats could face a tough new lesson today, as the Democratic National Committee’s Rules Committee sets out to enforce its rules on party primary elections.
The DNC committee today is poised to vote against the Sunshine State’s plans for a Jan. 29 primary and also strip the state party of delegate votes at its presidential nominating convention in Denver next year, according to party officials.
Florida poses the first test of the DNC’s resolve to enforce a primary schedule it set last year. Florida is not the only state that is attempting to jump the calendar with an early primary.
Florida's highest-ranking Democrat plans to fight the party over any sanction.
Discerning disputed votes in Florida, 2000. AP photo.
Michigan and New Hampshire also are eyeing earlier primaries, in violation of the party’s rules.
The rules bar state parties from holding their primaries before Feb. 5, with the exception of Iowa’s on Jan. 14, Nevada’s on Jan. 19, New Hampshire’s on Jan. 22 and South Carolina’s on Jan. 29.
The Republican-run Florida Legislature, with a bill signed by Republican Gov. Charlie Crist, has decided to advance the state’s presidential primary elections to Jan. 29 – for the first time placing a mega-state in an early, influential position in the primary lineup.
The early Florida primary already has unleashed an early campaign there: Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois headlined the local party’s fundraising dinner in Tallahassee last night and is stumping in Miami today. Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York already holds a strong advantage among Democrats in the state, polls show, yet the fourth-largest state provides ample fundraising resources for any of the party’s front-runners.
The party’s rules carry tough penalties: A state’s congressional delegation and DNC members forfeit their votes for the nominee at the convention. The DNC’s Rules and Bylaws Committee today will decide whether to strip Florida of anywhere from half to all of its 185 other delegates to the convention.
The state party has 30 days to change its plans, to avoid the punishment, but Florida’s Democrats plan to fight the sanction.
Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) told reporters in a conference call Friday that he will lead the delegates to Denver whether or not the DNC plans to let them in.
"We are quite concerned that Florida Democrats are going to lose their right to vote," Nelson said. Remembering the presidential election of 2000 in which contested ballots were not counted in a contest that George W. Bush carried with 537 disputed votes, he said: "And of all states, we have the sensitivity of this because of what we have gone through."
Florida is among 31 states presenting their voting plans today, but the only one expected to be found in violation of party rules.
Michigan's Legislature has taken up a bill to move its contest to Jan. 15, but the state party has submitted a proposal that envisions a party caucus on Feb. 9. New Hampshire's secretary of state says he may move up the state's primary, but for now has submitted a plan for Jan. 22, with a footnote that it is subject to change.
In New Hampshire, party leaders appear unfazed by the threat of sanctions – and more concerned about protesting their position as the nation’s first primary-voting state.
“If that means we lose some delegates, that means we lose some delegates," said Kathy Sullivan, former director of the New Hampshire Democratic Party. "We'd love to go to Denver. But if we don't go, we don't go. I can't get that excited about it."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Comments
Go ahead stupid Dems penalize Florida and we'll get their votes for the GOP. One thing about liberals they want to control everybody. Gators tell them where to go stick to your date for a primary it's none of their business remind these idiots how it took you 36 days to count the votes even looking at pregnant chads.Jerry White, Springfield, IL
Posted by: Jerry White | August 25, 2007 10:40 AM
Jerry White,
Both parties need to control the process or it becomes an unwieldly mess.
"For their part, Republican National Committee officials say they also plan to enforce their rules, which allow them to take delegates away from states that hold primaries before Feb. 5 without permission.
But they do not intend to consider penalties until at least early September, when state organizations must notify the RNC of their plans.
The penalties were determined at the time of the last convention, an RNC spokeswoman said, and state officials have known the risks of breaking the rules since then."
Now take your meds, before your anger gets too much more out of hand.
Posted by: Doug Zook | August 25, 2007 11:00 AM
Now that we've had a 2nd Swamp article about how the law change effects the Democrat primary, when will we see the article about how the law change effects the Republican primary?
Oops, I forgot. This is a Democrat politics site.
Posted by: Bruce | August 25, 2007 11:08 AM
What? Laws and rules should control who can become the next president of the United States? And here I thought we lived in a democracy in which every vote should be counted, no matter the circumstance on how it was cast. So the Democrats have been yanking my chain these last seven years? Silly me.
Posted by: JB | August 25, 2007 12:37 PM
All the states should have primaries next week!
Posted by: Jim Jenius | August 25, 2007 4:01 PM
What? Laws and rules should control who can become the next president of the United States? And here I thought we lived in a democracy in which every vote should be counted, no matter the circumstance on how it was cast. So the Democrats have been yanking my chain these last seven years? Silly me.
Posted by: JB | August 25, 2007 12:37 PM
You can pull your head out of your backside anytime now.
"For their part, Republican National Committee officials say they also plan to enforce their rules, which allow them to take delegates away from states that hold primaries before Feb. 5 without permission.
But they do not intend to consider penalties until at least early September, when state organizations must notify the RNC of their plans.
Posted by: Republican pigs must go | August 25, 2007 4:05 PM
This is just a part of the "we are better and more important than the rest of the country" attitude which has been foisted on the rest of us for years by Iowa and New Hampshire.
It gives the wacko Left undo influence on the Democratic primary selection process and has cost the Dems the presidency on numerous occasions.
Wacko Left defined: Angry socialists and union types with insatiable appetites for more pay and benefits along with less and less accountability and 100% job protection - no matter what level of outrageous incompetence.
Posted by: Parker | August 25, 2007 4:22 PM
dems-dont ever do this- we try to win the presidency .dont ver let this happen please.
Posted by: juliet | August 25, 2007 7:02 PM
Bruce,
Do you mean 'affects'? Just want to be clear, not correcting.
Posted by: C.Morris | August 26, 2007 5:47 PM
"And here I thought we lived in a democracy.."
JB,
We don't live in a democracy. The Cons tell me that all the time.
Also, no separation of church and state.
It's all an illusion.
Posted by: C.Morris | August 26, 2007 7:58 PM
We do live in a democracy. But these states that keep trying to move their primaries to earlier dates SHOULD be stopped! The DNC is right. The presidential campaign season is already way too long. That's one reason campaigns are so expensive, which is why they're so corrupted by big money. We have fifty states. Everybody can't be first.
Heck, why not have primaries in August, conventions early in September, and electioneering until the first Tuesday in November? We don't need 10 months of empty, flashy, meaningless campaign ads. The American people have better things to do.
Posted by: John | September 19, 2007 10:37 PM