Michigan Primary Revote Unlikely Because Of Time, Money Barriers

[Purveyor]

By Zack Colman
The State News
Published: March 16, 2008

Despite a proposed plan to hold a privately funded June 3 Democratic primary, many questions remain about time, technicalities and where the money to fund it would come from, political analysts said Sunday.

The proposed scenario, which is being discussed in Lansing and Washington, D.C., would require the Democratic Party to provide funds for a new primary.

However, no legislation has been drafted.

Mark Grebner, a political consultant with East Lansing-based Practical Political Consulting Inc., said there isn’t enough time to craft a second primary election. With a two-week recess beginning Thursday, Grebner said it will be too difficult for the state Legislature to negotiate bipartisan bills that would change state laws.

“This will fail. We don’t know exactly how, but we all know this will fail,” he said. “This topic is over. This is history. This has already not happened.”

Conversely, Benjamin Kleinerman, an assistant professor at James Madison College and a national election expert, said he believes the state will inevitably hold another vote.

“My feeling is if people want it to happen, it will end up happening,” he said.

Rep. Mark Meadows, D-East Lansing, said he supports holding a second primary, but he doubts there is enough time to conduct one.

He said the state most likely needs 90 days to finalize election preparations, meaning Michigan already needs to have election funds.

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http://www.statenews.com/index.php/article/2008/03/mich_primary_revote_unlikely_because_of_time_money_barriers