New Hampshire: Sec of State moves the primary to 8 January
The New York Times reports: New Hampshire last night officially scheduled its first-in-the-nation presidential primary for Jan. 8, ending months of hedging from officials there and solidifying what has been a chaotic primary calendar that moves the nominating process closer to the start of the year.
The announcement, by Secretary of State William M. Gardner of New Hampshire, came hours after the Michigan Supreme Court decided that that state’s primary could go forward on Jan. 15.
Iowa has already scheduled its caucuses for Jan. 3. All told, the contests, along with a mega-primary day involving more than 20 states on Feb. 5, will mean an unusually early nominating season as states have battled for influence by moving up their primaries. ...
Mr. Gardner had been widely expected to choose Jan. 8, but until yesterday he left open the possibility that the primary could fall in December. He had repeatedly said he would set the date for New Hampshire’s primary only after Michigan made a firm decision on its primary. -- New Hampshire Selects Jan. 8 for Its Primary - New York Times