Dems give Michigan and Florida full voting rights

Props manager Joshua Psuik replaces the sign at the Florida delegation's seating position at the site of the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Monday, Aug. 25, 2008. The convention starts Monday.

By: By STEPHEN OHLEMACHER Associated Press Writer | JCFloridan.com
Published: August 24, 2008

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DENVER (AP) - Democratic delegates from Michigan and Florida were awarded full voting rights at the national convention Sunday, despite holding early primaries against party rules.

The convention credentials committee voted unanimously to restore the voting privileges at the behest of Barack Obama, the party's presumptive nominee for president. The states had initially been stripped of all their delegates for holding primaries before Feb. 5. The party's rules committee restored the delegates in May, but gave them only half votes.

Democrats hope the gesture will strengthen their standing in two important battleground states while ending a contentious chapter of the nominating process.

"The only way we will be successful is if we are unified as a party and all Democrats know we are full partners," said Chris Edley Jr., a member of the committee from California who introduced the resolution restoring Florida's votes.