Thu. Mar 28th, 2024
Courtesy of the Governors Office.

Governor Whitmer signed Senate Bill 13 this past Wednesday to make Michigan an “early primary” state. According to the actual text of the bill, Sec. 613a. (1) A statewide presidential primary election must be conducted under this act on February 27, 2024, and on the fourth Tuesday in February in each presidential election year after 2024. 

Whether or not the law will take effect in time for the 2024 election is still in question as the Republicans in the state senate have stood strong and united against the bill. Per our constitution laws passed without a two-thirds majority do not take immediate effect. The law would go into effect 90 days after the end of the next legislative session, which would surpass the February 27, 2024 date. 

The Democrats could end the legislative session in late November to meet the 90 day mark, although that would break from normal traditions of ending the session in December. 

The main issue is that RNC rules prohibit primaries before March 1st, which will penalize Republican presidential delegates from the State of Michigan. 

RULE NO. 16(c)(1)

“No primary, caucus, convention, or other process to elect, select, allocate, or bind delegates to the national convention shall occur prior to March 1 or after the second Saturday in June in the year in which a national convention is held. Except Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Nevada may conduct their processes no earlier than one month before the next earliest state in the year in which a national convention is held and shall not be subject to the provisions of paragraph (c)(2) of this rule.”

Rule NO 17(a)

“If any state or state Republican Party violates Rule No. 16(c)(1) of these rules, the number of delegates to the national convention shall be reduced for those states with thirty (30) or more total delegates to nine (9) plus the members of the Republican National Committee from that state…”

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