Primary's message a priority

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D.C. Democrats say they are not concerned with tomorrow's voter turnout in the nation's first primary, viewing the voting more as a protest symbol of the city's fight for congressional voting rights than an election.

Local government officials chose to move the date of the contest ahead of the nation's traditional first primary -- New Hampshire -- to spotlight the District's lack of congressional voting rights. The move makes the primary nonbinding with actual delegate selection set for February.

"This is about the denial of the basic rights we've had," said D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, a Democrat and the District's nonvoting representative.

She said if residents do not come out to the polls, it will be because of the weather and newness of the first primary, not because they don't care about voting rights.

D.C. Democratic State Committee Chairman A. Scott Bolden said he wants tomorrow's primary to educate voters about the February and March caucuses.

"We're getting out the vote for Jan. 13, but also for Feb. 14 and March 6, because the ballgame for the marbles that gets you delegates will occur on Feb. 14," Mr. Bolden said.

The eight ward caucuses held Feb. 14 will be open to all registered Democrats. One polling place will be selected in each of the city's eight districts, and that vote will be binding to assign delegates to the presidential candidates. The March 6 caucus also is open to all registered Democrats, and votes there will be used to select the delegates for the Democratic National Convention in July.

Democratic presidential candidate the Rev. Al Sharpton, however, is concerned about tomorrow's turnout. He spent most of the week campaigning in the city.

"By having this primary and putting it as the first test of votes, you have made your issue, statehood, first," Mr. Sharpton said. "I intend to make statehood a central point when we go to Boston and demand it of this party."

Yesterday, he delivered a sermon to the congregation of Union Temple Baptist Church in Southeast. He also participated in a debate Friday with the other candidates on the D.C. ballot -- former Sen. Carol Moseley Braun of Illinois and Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich of Ohio. Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, who also is on the ballot, did not participate.

Five major presidential candidates -- Sens. John Kerry of Massachusetts, Joe Lieberman of Connecticut and John Edwards of North Carolina, plus Rep. Richard A. Gephardt of Missouri and Wesley Clark, a retired Army general -- asked to be left off the D.C. ballot. They said they did not want a conflict with the Democratic National Committee over New Hampshire's holding the nation's first binding primary.