Yes, Michigan’s presidential primary election is Tuesday. The question is whether area residents, particularly Democrats, will care enough to vote.

Berrien County Clerk Louise Stine said a similar situation occurred in 1992 when a rift prompted the Democratic Party to exclude its candidates. The county ended up that year with just less than a 16 percent voter turnout, she said.

If the turnout this time around is better, it won’t be by much, Stine guessed.

Moving up the date of the state’s primary didn’t sit well with the national Democratic and Republican parties. They reacted by stripping Michigan of all its Democratic delegates and half its Republican delegates at the national conventions.

Believing that half a loaf is better than none, candidates on the Republican side at least were interested enough to participate. Understandably, only a handful of Democratic hopefuls chose to test their popularity in Michigan.

So, instead of finding U. S. Sen. Barack Obama, of Illinois, and U. S. Sen. John Edwards, of North Carolina, on the ballot, Democrats will find U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, of New York, former U.S. Sen. Mike Gravel, of Alaska, and liberal Ohio congressman Dennis Kucinich. U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Connecticut, also will be there but he has since dropped out of the race.

Democrats who prefer Obama and Edwards also can vote for "uncommitted,’’ but it’s anyone’s guess whether the national party will relent and allow Michigan delegates a voice at the convention.

Niles area resident Johnie Rodebush, a Cass County commissioner and longtime Democrat, said he already turned in an absentee ballot for Clinton but he fears many Democrats will stay home Tuesday.

"They’ll say, ‘My man isn’t there so I’m not going to go there,’ " he said.

Jess Minks, chairman of the South County Democrats in Berrien County, wouldn’t divulge his preference in the primary but disagreed the Michigan Legislature ruined the state’s primary by moving up the date. The stand had to be taken, he said, to give Michigan more prominence in the primary election process.

"I feel this had to be done ... Iowa and New Hampshire for years have dominated,’’ he said.

He said he believes a fair share of Democrats will cast votes for "uncommitted’’ but Clinton should still come away the victor.

Voters who ask for Republican ballots will find nine candidates, in addition to "uncommitted,’’ but only seven remain in the race. U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback, of Kansas, and Colorado congressman Tom Tancredo have both dropped out.

The favorites are U.S. Sen. John McCain, of Arizona, who carried Michigan in the 2000 primary, and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, the son of former Michigan governor George Romney. McCain is hoping to continue the momentum from his victory in New Hampshire and Romney may need to win Michigan to remain a viable candidate.

Others vying for votes on the GOP side are former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Arkansas governor and Baptist minister Mike Huckabee, conservative California congressman Duncan Hunter, Texas congressman and physician Ron Paul and actor and former U.S. senator from Tennessee Fred Thompson.

U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, is one of McCain’s state party chairmen. He argued McCain is the party’s best bet to eliminate elongated periods of "paralyzing gridlock’’ in Washington.

"We’ve got to have someone in the driver’s seat who will reach across (party aisles) and put ideas first,’’ he said. "McCain can do that.’’

Should McCain land the nomination, it would be a remarkable achievement. Only a few months ago, his campaign was floundering and many in the party had written him off.

Upton said McCain’s comeback is evidence of his character.

"He wasn’t a quitter at the Hanoi Hilton for five years and he won’t quit now,’’ he said, referring to the period during the Vietnam War when McCain was a prisoner of war.

Upton agreed Romney is likely to do well in Michigan but he said he also expects Huckabee will receive a good share of the vote. Benton Harbor resident Troy Rolling, a member of the state Republican committee, said he had liked Thompson but backed off after he hearing him speak at a debate in Detroit.

Rolling, 35, said family members convinced him to take a long look at Huckabee. He liked what he saw.

"He’s genuine ... someone you can touch,’’ he said. "His communication is huge. What he says resonates with my family.’’

Employed by a Kalamazoo Toyota dealership, Rolling said he was drawn, too, by Huckabee’s conservatism and faith values.

"His belief system lines up with mine,’’ he said.

Supporting Romney is Faith Merrill, a 22-year-old Lake Michigan College student from Berrien Springs. After hearing Romney speak months ago at a debate in Grand Rapids, she came away believing Romney was sincere when he spoke of his desire to help curb Michigan’s economic woes.

"He sounds like a president,’’ Merrill said. "Huckabee and McCain tried to get him off his guard but nothing seemed to bother him.

"I thought that if he could stand up to his own party members in a debate, there’s no way he won’t stand up against foreign countries that are against us.’’

Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voters will need to declare a party preference and can vote on either the Republican or Democratic ballot but not both.

For more information on the primary, go to WSBT's Campaign '08 section.