Florida Nixes Voting Do Over

By Pamela Mortimer

Florida Democrats have officially abandoned plans to hold a "do-over presidential primary" with a mail-in vote. This decision effectively threw the dispute regarding the state’s 210 delegates right into the lap of the Democratic National Party.

A letter was sent out by Florida Democratic Party chairwoman Karen L. Thurman who announced the decision.

"A party-run primary or caucus has been ruled out, and it’s simply not possible for the state to hold another election, even if the party were to pay for it," Thurman said. "This doesn’t mean that Democrats are giving up on Florida voters. It means that a solution will have to come from the DNC Rules & Bylaws Committee, which is scheduled to meet again in April."

Members of Florida’s congressional delegation unanimously opposed the plan, and presidential candidate Barack Obama voiced concern regarding "the security of a mail-in vote organized so quickly".

Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL), who backs Clinton, has suggested seating all Florida delegates that have already been chosen but giving each only half a vote. Based on the January 29th primary results, Clinton would have won with 105, Obama had 67 and John Edwards took 13. If Nelson’s suggestion is taken, each would only get half of the delegate votes.

Republicans have already stripped both Florida and Michigan of half their delegates as "a penalty for early primaries".

Michigan’s draft legislation included language that would approve the spending of privately raised monies for the election. This report came from an unnamed Democratic leader who also stated that lawmakers and campaigns are still considering the plan.

"A re-vote is the only way Michigan can be assured its delegation will be seated, and vote in Denver at the party’s national convention this summer," said Harold Ickes, a Clinton campaign aide. "If the Obama campaign thwarts a fair election process for the people of Michigan, it will jeopardize the Democratic nominee’s ability to carry the state in the general election."

Obama campaign spokesman Tommy Vietor said, "It’s pretty apparent that the Clinton campaign’s views on voting are dependent on their own political interest. Hillary Clinton herself said in January that the Michigan primary ‘didn’t count for anything.’ Now, she is cynically trying to change the rules at the eleventh hour for her own benefit. We received a very complex proposal for Michigan re-vote legislation today and are reviewing it to make sure that any solution for Michigan is fair and practical. We continue to believe a fair seating of the delegation deserves strong consideration."

Because the Democratic-controlled House is scheduled for a two week leave beginning on Thursday, any bills regarding a "do-over primary" in Michigan must be addressed immediately. The Republican-controlled state Senate must also approve the legislation.