Michigan to elect convention delegates

LANSING, Mich., April 17 (UPI) -- Michigan Democratic Party officials say they hope electing delegates will be the first step toward the state being welcomed at the party's national convention.

The Democratic National Committee stripped Michigan of its convention delegates as punishment for moving up its primary to Jan. 15, a violation of party rules. The DNC similarly punished Florida.

Michigan Democrats will choose 83 delegates and 15 alternates Saturday. The remaining 45 delegates would be selected by state party officials in a negotiation process, the Detroit Free Press reported Thursday.

After the 45 delegates are selected, "if there are any adjustments in the numbers that need to be made, we can make those adjustments at the state central meeting in May," state Democratic Party Chairman Mark Brewer said.

Selection of the 83 delegates will be based on the outcome of the primary, which Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York won with 55 percent of the vote. Neither she nor Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois campaigned in the state, and Obama withdrew his name from the ballot.

State party officials -- and the candidates -- say Michigan delegates should be seated, but an acceptable solution has not been found.