Public radio from Western Michigan University 102.1 NPR News | 89.9 Classical WMUK
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Michigan Presidential Primary Set for March 8th (Updated)

Wisconsin Public Radio

(MPRN-Lansing) It appears Michigan Republicans can look forward to a March 8th presidential primary next year. 

Update: Governor Snyder has signed the legislation setting March 8, 2016 as the date for the Presidential Primary in Michigan. 

Legislation to set that as the primary date is on its way to Governor Rick Snyder after it got final approval by the state Senate. Senator Dave Robertson (R-Grand Blanc) chairs the Senate Elections Committee. He says March 8th is early enough to make Michigan influential in selecting the Republican nominee.

“We want those candidates to come to Michigan. We intend to play a critical role in the election of the next president,” he said. “And that’s what this is about, and that’s what we’re going to do.”

Republicans in the Legislature split in the optimal date. Some wanted March 1, the earliest possible date for a state like Michigan under Republican National Committee rules. Others wanted Michigan to go with March 15, which, depending on what other states do, could be a Midwest regional primary.

But the March 15 date also conflicts with township tax appeal hearings. In the end, too many Republicans were unwilling to take on that fight. So they split the difference and went with March 8. And, while that does appear to nearly doom the prospects for a mid-March “Big 10” primary, it does put Michigan on the calendar along with neighboring Ohio, as well as Alabama, Mississippi, and Hawaii.

The governor is expected to sign the bill before this weekend’s state Republican convention in Lansing. States have until October of this year to finalize their primaries and caucuses under Republican Party rules. Michigan Democrats are unlikely to formally participate in the primary, and opt instead for caucuses.

Related Content