New York presidential primary moved to Feb. 5

updated 11:30 a.m. ET April 9, 2007

ALBANY, N.Y. - New York's presidential primary will happen a month earlier next year.

Governor Eliot Spitzer signed a bill today moving the primary from March fourth to February fifth. He says the move will help ensure that New York's "large and diverse population" will be influential in choosing presidential candidates for the 2008 election.

The earlier vote could help presidential front-runners Hillary Rodham Clinton and Rudy Giuliani secure their parties' nominations.

About a dozen other states, including California and New Jersey, have either moved their primaries or caucuses to February fifth or are getting ready to do so.

But New Hampshire's secretary of state says the move by New York and other states could mean that the entire nominating process will be over on February fifth. And he says that's a "rush to judgment" that may not be good for politics.

Picking the president — the candidates Click a name below to visit that candidate’s MSNBC page • Joe Biden                 • Sam Brownback     • Hillary Clinton          • Chris Dodd • John Edwards         • Rudy Giuliani           • Mike Gravel              • Duncan Hunter • Mike Huckabee        • Dennis Kucinich     • John McCain           • Barack Obama • Ron Paul                    • Bill Richardson      • Mitt Romney            • Tom Tancredo • Fred Thompson To subscribe to a candidate page RSS feed, click here.

MORE FROM POLITICS

Politics Section Front

Were Chinese agents at Gitmo? Sotomayor wins GOP backers after hearings Obama seeks cost cuts in health plan House panel to investigate CIA hit teams   Gov. Sanford's records show expensive trips GOP decides ‘It’s the economy’ for 2010  Obama: Racial divisions still persist GOP's Graham emerges as pivotal player Sotomayor speeds toward confirmation Newsweek: What Palin should do to prep for 2012 Politics Section Front   Add Politics headlines to your news reader: