Michigan Dems weigh delegate proposals

LANSING, Mich., May 6 (UPI) -- Democratic leaders in Michigan are mulling two plans that would allow the state's delegates to be seated at the party's national convention, officials said.

The state party's 80-member executive committee will meet, and could vote to ask the Democratic National Committee to adopt one of the competing proposals, The Detroit News reported Tuesday.

One plan, offered by Michigan DNC member Joel Ferguson, would have the state's full slate of superdelegates seated at the DNC's convention in August, but only half of the pledged delegates chosen based on the Jan. 15 primary.

The second plan was offered by U.S. Sen. Carl Levin of Michigan, U.S. Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, United Auto Workers chief Ron Gettelfinger and DNC member Debbie Dingell.

They seek a compromise between presidential candidates Sens. Hillary Clinton of New York and Barack Obama of Illinois, the newspaper reported.

Michigan was stripped of its delegates after the state held its presidential primary earlier than national party rules allow.