Gov. Jennifer Granholm signed a bill yesterday moving Michigan's presidential primaries up to Jan. 15.

All of the Democratic candidates have vowed not to campaign in Michigan because party rules prohibit states other than South Carolina, Nevada, New Hampshire and Iowa from holding nominating contests before Feb. 5. The Democratic National Committee has threatened to strip Michigan of all of its delegates at the party's nominating convention if it moved its primary forward.

Republican candidates have said they will campaign in Michigan, even though the Republican National Committee has said that it will take away half of the state's delegates at its nominating convention.

Several University of Michigan students working for the Democratic candidates said they're worried that a Republican-only primary in Michigan will hurt the Democratic nominees' chances to win the state in the general election.

"If Republicans dump more money and time into Michigan, people may be more exposed to those issues and candidates," said LSA sophomore Kelly Bernero, co-chair of the University chapter of Students for Hillary.
The change seems to be having a small effect on political activism on campus. So far, there are groups supporting Republicans Mitt Romney, Ron Paul and John McCain and Democrats Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and John Edwards.

Both Bernero and LSA senior Travis Radina, Students for John Edwards for President chair, are hopeful that a compromise will be made between the Michigan legislature and the DNC so that Michigan will be represented at the convention.

The Students for Edwards group had hoped to kick off the new school year with a visit from Edwards or his wife, Elizabeth, which would have coincided with the group's mass meeting. But because Edwards has vowed not to campaign in Michigan, the group has decided to put the meeting on hold. The group is considering bringing other speakers to campus on Edwards's behalf.
Radina said the earlier primary puts more pressure on the Students for Edwards group because it will have to provide more information to students about the Democratic candidates.

"We'll have to do the campaign for him," Radina said.

LSA sophomore Tom Duvall, chair of the University chapter of Students for Obama, said he doesn't share Radina's concern.

"We will continue our plan just as it was before," he said. "The primary is an important test and event that will show Obama's support in a key battleground state for the election."

Duvall said the Obama group had no previous plans to arrange a campus visit for Obama and will continue to promote his candidacy.
LSA senior Amy Drumm, chair of the University chapter of Students for Romney, said the group's plans for the fall wouldn't be affected. Those plans include participating in regular phone banks, recruiting members, registering new voters and promoting Romney's candidacy in other ways around campus.

"As long as we are having a primary, there will still be voters, which would (include) students," Drumm said.

Romney - a Bloomfield Hills native and the son of former Gov. George Romney - is polling even in Michigan with Rudy Giuliani for the Republican nomination.

Clinton is leading the Democratic field in Michigan by a large margin.

- The Associated Press contributed to this report.