Home Issues Voter Disenfranchisement Florida and Michigan Vote Controversy
Florida and Michigan Vote Controversy
Written by Leigh Ann Caldwell   
Friday, 07 March 2008 08:45

Mar. 7, Headlines - As the Democratic primary race continues, the controversy over Florida and Michigan intensifies. They may be states that determine the nominee. Florida and Michigan held primaries in January, 1.7 million people voted in Florida and 600,000 in Michigan. Clinton won 50 percent of the vote to Obama's 33 percent in Florida. In Michigan, Clinton won 55 percent of the vote. Obama's name was not on the ballot.

March 7 - Feature
produced by Leigh Ann Caldwell
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But the problem is that the Democratic party stripped them of their convention delegates because they moved their primary before February.

Hillary Clinton is in a situation where it's unlikely she'll be able to surpass Barack Obama in the delegate race in the remaining states. According to Slate.com's delegate calculator, she'll need to win all 12 remaining states and territories with more than 60 percent of the vote. Clinton wants and needs a good chunk of Florida and Michigan's 350 delegates.

Voter Rights ProtestersThe Governor's of the states want their people's votes counted. Chair of the Democratic party Howard Dean says the states can submit a plan to have their delegates count. So, the two states Congressional delegation had an initial meeting Wednesday to try to come up with a plan, and many have aligned themselves with a candidate and any option is likely to support one candidate over the other. Here are some voices from the Florida delegation.

First term Congressman Tim Mahoney. He calls himself neutral, not having backed either candidate.

"Even though we had a record turn out, as a member of Congress that has to run again in November, I can be convinced to do anything that gets more democrats registered but having said that, I don't think the cost of doing it justifies that outcome. I do believe that what happened on that day was a valid vote and I think we have delegates and I think they need to be seated."

Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz backs Clinton. She opposes one suggested, a do-over.

"That's too expensive, it's unworkable and that wouldn't be fair. And you have 1.7 million reasons, in terms of the voters, not to do that."

Representative Kathy Castor of Tampa, Obama supporter. She wants the decision to remain, to not seat the delegates, which would benefit Obama.

"If they want to change the rules in the 11th hour, that would be unfair."

And here's Representative Alcee Hastings, who also supports Clinton.

"It boils down to what is fundamentally fair. A resolution would be to let Florida, where both candidate had the same opportunity, none, neither candidate campaigned in Florida and the fact is that Senator Clinton carried the state. Break it up proportionally and let Michigan which has a history of caucuses let them have their caucus or break it up proportionally and seat the delegates and move on. I suspect neither the Clinton or Obama camp are going to give an inch."

Florida Senator, Bill Nelson, who supports Clinton, called on the Democratic Party to pay for a redo. The Democratic party opposes because that would cut into Democratic campaign funds. Florida's Republican governor Charlie Crist supports that idea.

A lot of different ideas, personal agendas and moving parts.

Same as in Michigan where the story is a bit different because Obama's name was not on the ballot.

 

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