Wisconsin holds presidential primaries for the Democratic and Republican Parties. State party leaders decide who should be on their own party’s ballot. Wisconsin Democratic leaders were more inclusive this year than Wisconsin Republican leaders, as shown by the fact that Wisconsin Democrats included Mike Gravel, but Republicans did not include Alan Keyes.

The ballot will include these Democrats: Biden, Clinton, Dodd, Edwards, Gravel, Kucinich, Obama, Richardson. It will include these Republicans: Giuliani, Huckabee, Hunter, McCain, Paul, Romney, Tancredo, and Thompson.

Candidates need 500 signatures to appear on the Delaware presidential primary, unless they appear to have qualified for primary season matching funds. The signatures were due on December 10.

Bill Richardson did not file any Delaware signatures, and has not tried to qualify for primary season matching funds, so he won’t be on the Democratic ballot.

Democrats who did file 500 signatures, or who have been certified for primary season matching funds, or who are waiting to see if they are certified for matching funds, are Biden, Clinton, Dodd, Edwards, Kucinich, and Obama. Since Kucinich did not submit signatures and has not yet been certified for primary season matching funds, he will not appear unless the FEC certifies him by December 19.

Republicans who did file 500 signatures, or who are certified for matching funds, are Giuliani, Huckabee, McCain, Paul, Romney, Tancredo, and Thompson. Fred Thompson filed his signatures 5 minutes before the deadline. If any petition is found to be insufficient, Delaware gives the candidates time to get more signatures.

The qualified minor parties of Delaware are entitled to their own presidential primary (even though they don’t nominate by primary for other office). However, there has never been a minor party presidential primary in Delaware, because no minor party candidate has ever been able to collect the 500 signatures. Only registered party members can sign these petitions, and typically Delaware’s qualified minor parties only have between 350 and 750 registered members. Also Delaware won’t hold a presidential primary for any party unless there are at least two candidates in that primary.

The Federal Election Commission estimates no primary season matching funds will be paid until March 2008. Normally they would be paid on January 1, 2008. However, there isn’t enough money in the Presidential Campaign Federal Fund to pay for primary season matching funds, because not enough taxpayers have been checking the “yes” box on their 1040 forms.

The fund gives highest priority to funding the general election campaigns of the parties that polled at least 5% of the vote in the last presidential election. The fund gives the second highest priority to funding the national conventions of those parties. Primary season matching funds, the only type of federal campaign funds that minor party presidential candidates may routinely receive, have the lowest priority.

Of course, if a candidate is certified for primary season matching funds and knows that he or she will receive them in March or April 2008, that candidate may borrow money, with the expectation of repaying the loan from the proceeds.

The only minor party presidential candidate who is trying to qualify for primary season matching funds is Cynthia McKinney. If Ralph Nader declares later this month, he would also likely attempt to qualify for primary season matching funds. The only major party candidates who have already qualified for primary season matching funds are Republicans John McCain and Tom Tancredo, and Democrats John Edwards, Chris Dodd, and Joe Biden. Although McCain has qualified, he hasn’t said yet whether he would accept them. Most prominent major party candidates are not seeking primary season matching funds because they don’t like the spending restrictions that come with them.