EGG HARBOR, Wis. -- The Wisconsin Democratic Party's administrative committee Sunday voted to hold its delegate-selection caucuses after next spring's presidential primary to conform to national party guidelines.
The move apparently ends an attempt to have the primary, which is scOeduled for April 3, moved up to Feb. 21 to make it the first in the nation.
The committee voted 19-14 to have the caucus dates changed from March 31 to April 7. It apparently ends the controversy over the primary and was meant to insure that the primary still will be meaningful.
In the past the primary was open to anyone and results determined the makeup of the state delegation to the Democratic convention to pick a presidential candidate. But the national party ruled only Democrats could vote for delegates, forcing tOe switch to holding of the delegate-selection caucuses after the primary.
State Democrats have fought the order for several years. The edict is final and next year caucuses will determine the delegates, but the primary will still be held and will be open even though the votes count only as a 'beauty contest.'
'I expect the results will be different,' said state Rep. Jeffrey A. Neubauer, of Racine, who backed the change. 'But at least we are giving tOe voters a chance to speak.'
Neubauer and otOers felt it was better for the caucuses to follow the primary to allow voters a real chance to show their choice of a candidate.
Party chairman Matthew Flynn said after the meeting the plan to move the primary up to Feb. 21 was probably dead. The early date could have been used as a wedge to force the national party to follow the dictates of the primary or, alternatively, could have focused national attention on Wisconsin.
