question about michigan primaries...

as most of you know i'm fairly new to Michigan and this will be my first presidential primary this month and i'm REALLY confused.  I'm reading that if you're a democrat your votes in Michigan's primary won't count.  HUH?   Why not????  What do we do?  They're still having the primary, but a lot of candidates, including Obama, aren't going to be listed.  Does anyone understand this?  Or understand if it even matters if we vote? I think this sucks.  Talk about being disenfranchised!

This is all new this year.  The DNC is basically not recognizing Michigan's primary because they moved the date of the primary up.  Many of the main Democratic candidates withdrew from the primary so as not to go against the DNC.  So, if you are voting in the democratic primary, you only have the candidates listed on the ballot from which to choose.  If you write in a candidate not listed, such as Obama, your ballot will not be counted.  There is a group (I can't remember if it was a single person or a collective) suing the state to get the primary moved back to its original date so all candidates will stay on the ballot.  This puts the state in the spotlight.  Wyoming's election is near the same time as New Hampshire's, but EVERYONE is in NH, not WY.  Wyoming will not see the same financial outcome that NH will see.  Many feel the earlier primaries are more critical.  Personally, I think the primary election process should be re-vamped.  I've heard some good alternatives suggesting that there be an alternating schedule of states having early primary elections.  Many states want a piece of the pie, so to speak, that Iowa and NH receive.  Anyway, this is how I understand it.  I'm an independent and don't declare a party, which is frustrating because I can't vote in the primaries.  I vote for the person I feel will do the best job, regardless of party affiliation.  I'm sure others will correct me if need be...LOL! This is from thegreenpapers.com: On 1 December 2007, the DNC has determined that the date of Michigan's 15 January 2008 primary violates party rules and has decided to strip the state of its delegation. Michigan had 128 pledged delegate votes (83 district, 28 at-large, and 17 PLEO) and 28 unpledged delegate votes (17 unpledged DNC members, 1 Governor, 2 Democratic U.S. Senators, 6 Democratic U.S. House Members, and 2 add-ons). Total delegate votes changed from 156 to 0.

ok here's where i get lost... won't the votes for the ones on the ballot also not be counted as we get no delegates due to moving up the primary?  i think i'm really confused and not understanding this thing. also even though you are independent i think you can vote because i was told that no matter how i'm registered i can request fo vote in either the republican or democratic primary.

i've been thinking about you and decided you need not be frustrated.  being an independent i dont know why you'd care who the democratic or republican nominee is as you've opted out.  BUT if you did care, you could declare a party and still vote independently.   That's basically what i've done as i'll vote for whoever i think the most of regardless of parties, although i do find that a democrat is more likely to support issues relevant to the democratic platform and that usually is more in line with my beliefs than the republican platform.  but i can't honestly say i believe in either party,  i just want the one that will do the most inline with my beliefts. thanks for your help with this. i appreciate it. 

I could do that (declare a party and vote in the primary for the one I feel best represents me).  But if I'm a declared Democrat then wouldn't I only be able to vote in the democratic primary?  Or vice versa?  Guess that's something I have to look into.  I just never have, because I've always been told I have to declare a party to be able to vote in the primary.  I DO VERY MUCH CARE WHO THE DEMOCRATIC AND REPUBLICAN NOMINEES ARE BECAUSE ONE OF THEM WILL BE MY PRESIDENT!   Yes, I have "opted out" in a sense, because I just don't feel that one single party represents my views, values, morals, etc.  I am conservative by nature, but not Republican.  On the flip side of that, I have some very LIBERAL views and beliefs, but don't feel that I can completely adopt the Democratic platform.  People get those two confused.  It boils down to interpretation/enforcement of the US Constitution, laws, etc.  If I was forced to choose a party, I would have to say Libertarian.  Unfortunately, though, if I vote Libertarian, my vote is meaningless in a two party system.  So, I vote for the person, not the party.  Yes, I know I can declare a party and still vote for someone outside that party.  Based on principle, I don't declare dem or rep because neither fully represents me and my political views, etc. 

Jay, check out this site. http://www.michigandems.com/121007prs.html It explains "how" to vote.  If you want to vote for someone NOT on the ballot, they are urging you to vote "uncommitted", rather than write one in.  The write-ins will not be counted. Tina

ya know Tina i saw that last night it got me even more confused.... how can voting uncommitted matter if our primary isn't going to count and we get no delegates?

Not  100% sure.... 8. A vote for “uncommitted” is a vote to send delegates to the Democratic National Convention who are not committed or pledged to any candidate. Those delegates can vote for any candidate they choose at the Convention. Don't know if that helps.  I was always told you have to declare a party to vote in the primaries. 

This smells of hanging chads. kp

Well, that just insures that when the supporters of the LOSING presidential candidate are disgruntled, they'll have something NEW to blame it on.