Democratic Party votes to shut out Michigan

Democratic leaders voted Saturday to strip Michigan of all its delegates to the national convention next year as punishment for scheduling an early presidential primary in violation of party rules.

In spite of the vote, some party leaders and officials said they believed the delegates would eventually be seated at the convention.

Michigan, with 156 delegates, has scheduled a Jan. 15 primary. Democratic Party rules prohibit states other than Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina from holding nominating contests before Feb. 5. Florida was hit with a similar penalty in August for scheduling a Jan. 29 primary.

Michigan officials expected the action by the Democratic National Committee’s rules panel. But Michigan Democratic Chairman Mark Brewer said before the vote that he didn’t think the delegates would be lost for good. He expects the nominee will insist the state’s delegates be seated at the convention.

Saturday’s vote further diminishes the significance of Michigan’s Democratic primary. All the major Democratic candidates have already agreed not to campaign in Michigan or Florida because the states violated party rules. And in Michigan, most of the major candidates won’t even be on the ballot.

Democratic candidates John Edwards, Barack Obama, Bill Richardson and Joseph R. Biden Jr. have withdrawn their names from the ballot to satisfy Iowa and New Hampshire, which were unhappy that Michigan was challenging their leadoff status.

That leaves Hillary Rodham Clinton, Dennis J. Kucinich, Christopher J. Dodd, Mike Gravel and “uncommitted” as the choices on the Democratic ballot in Michigan.