Keweenaw Report Your Source for Local News and Sports
Governor Rick Snyder has signed legislation setting the date of the Michigan presidential primary to March 8, 2016.
The bills move the statewide presidential primary from the fourth Tuesday in February to the second Tuesday in March going forward. They also move the regular February election to the second Tuesday in March during years when Michigan holds a statewide presidential primary.
Snyder says the legislation ensures Michiganders can exercise their right to vote while ensuring no extra costs are incurred to local governments to administer presidential primaries.
The bills put Michigan in line with the Republican National Committee’s new rules for scheduling primary elections and caucuses. If Michigan remained in violation with the new rules, the state’s number of delegates could have been reduced by 80 percent.
In the past, the Democratic Party has opted to select delegates using a caucus process.
Michigan has regularly held statewide presidential primary elections since 1972.
