Would Michigan primary consolidation stop at state/federal and municipal offices?
...or ultimately include the presidential primary as well? A thought experiment on the incentives of primary movement.
Earlier this week, The Detroit News reported on the bipartisan effort in Michigan to consolidate the August primaries for state and federal offices in May with the existing municipal primaries. The proposal would not affect the February presidential primary. However, even a move to consolidate all of the other primaries may rejigger the incentives as they currently exist in Michigan in terms of how the 2028 presidential primary in the Great Lakes state is scheduled in the coming months.
Yes, there are weightier calendar-related topics out there at the moment, but this is a fun little thought exercises that puts into stark contrast just how complicated the calculus behind primary movement can be. And that is just in one state, not a full aggregation of the complexities across all states and both major parties.
Here is a look at how a change to the scheduling of other primaries may affect the Michigan presidential primary.