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Don't look for George W. Bush, John Kerry, or any other presidential
contender on your primary ballot this year.
The
state Board of Elections today discarded the Democratic and Republican
presidential primaries in North Carolina, at the request of party
leaders.
"We're
getting the state out of the business of the presidential race for
this one time," said board Chairman Larry Leake.
The
primary, scheduled for July 20, comes too late for Democrats to
distribute delegates among its candidates in time for party's national
convention in Boston in late July. In place of the presidential
primary, Democrats plan to hold county caucuses April 17.
It
isn't worth it for the state to hold a Republican presidential primary
when it appears there is only one candidate, said state GOP political
director Bill Peaslee.
The
primaries were originally scheduled for May 4, but the elections
board pushed them back last week because new legislative districts
have yet to win federal approval.
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