Thread: Full Votes Restored to Florida and Michigan Delegations

CQ TODAY ONLINE NEWS
Updated Aug. 24, 2008 – 7:26 p.m.

Full Votes Restored to Florida and Michigan Delegations
By Rachel Kapochunas, CQ Staff

The credentials committee of the Democratic National Convention, on the eve of the event’s opening day in Denver, voted Sunday without dissent to restore full voting privileges to the delegations from Florida and Michigan.

The actions, taken during a meeting at the host city’s Colorado Convention Center, put a final touch to a long-running and bruising dispute over the decisions by officials in both states to hold their presidential primaries in January, in violation of Democratic National Committee (DNC) scheduling rules. The DNC initially barred all of Michigan’s and Florida’s delegates from the convention, then in late May allowed all of the state’s delegates to attend, but with a half-vote apiece.

California Rep. Barbara Lee , a member of the Credentials Committee noted that she and many others agreed with Obama’s support for the resolution to help unify the party.

“I think this is a very fair and just resolve, and I’m very pleased and excited that Florida and Michigan will be seated with full voting rights,â€

[quote]Michigan Sen. Carl Levin said that his state “succeeded in challenging the system.â€