WASHINGTON — The Democratic National Committee voted Saturday to strip Florida of all its presidential convention delegates, threatening to leave the state without a voice in choosing the party's 2008 nominee, unless it delays the date of its primary election.
The ultimatum marks party leaders' most drastic attempt yet to impose order among states that have been trying to elbow their balloting closer to the front of the election cycle. Three months ago, Florida controversially set its primary for Jan. 29.
The DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee voted overwhelmingly to give Florida's party 30 days to reschedule -- to Feb. 5 at the earliest -- or risk losing accreditation for its 210 delegates to the nominating convention next summer in Denver.
A refusal to seat delegates from the nation's fourth most populous state could set the stage for floor fights and a public spectacle at a convention normally choreographed to show party unity.
The Iowa caucuses traditionally mark the nation's first presidential contest, followed by the New Hampshire primary. The DNC recently agreed to allow Nevada and South Carolina to join the initial mix to bring more Latino and African American voters into the early balloting, but it barred any other state from holding a binding presidential primary before the first Tuesday in February, known as Super Tuesday, which next year is Feb. 5.
Officials said after Saturday's vote that harsh action against Florida was partly intended to send a strong message to Michigan and other states that were considering pushing their party contests into January.
Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Karen Thurman said she and her colleagues had done everything possible to adhere to the rules. But Republicans who dominate the Legislature outmaneuvered them, she said, by including an earlier primary date in a bill of election reforms Democrats considered crucial -- forcing Democrats to vote for a Jan. 29 primary.
Republican Gov. Charlie Crist signed the legislation in May.
Still, Florida Democrats have alternatives, according to members of the DNC rules committee.
The Jan. 29 Democratic vote could be a nonbinding "beauty contest," or straw poll, to be followed in February by other balloting -- perhaps a separate primary, caucuses or a mail-in vote -- to meet the national party's rules, panel members said.
