CONCORD – Secretary of State William Gardner said yesterday that key developments in Iowa and Michigan this week could clear the way for New Hampshire to hold its first-in-the-nation presidential primary in early January, rather than December.

Gardner has said he prefers not to schedule the primary in December, but would do so if early contests in other states crowd New Hampshire too closely. Members of both state political parties are wary that a December primary could prompt the national parties to strip New Hampshire of its traditional role in the future.

But it now appears that Iowa and Michigan Democrats are close to giving New Hampshire enough breathing room for Gardner to schedule the primary on Jan. 8.

Yesterday:

-- Iowa Democratic Party officials said they are ready to formally schedule their caucus on Thursday, Jan. 3, the same day as Iowa Republicans. The Associated Press reported that a formal decision will be made Sunday. Party spokesman Carrie Giddins said party chair Scott Brennan is now recommending the Jan. 3 date after consulting with election officials in other states, Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin and Iowa Gov. Chet Culver. Gardner said he spoke with Harkin about the caucus and primary last Friday.

-- Michigan Sen. Carl Levin appeared to back off his long-held unequivocal insistence that Michigan Democrats hold a presidential caucus on the same day as New Hampshire's primary, regardless of when the primary is held.

According to the Detroit News, Levin said Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, as leader of his state's Democrats, should make the ultimate decision on whether Michigan Democrats will hold a primary on Jan. 15 or opt out of the primary and hold a caucus on another, probably earlier, date. Levin said that while he continues to prefer a caucus, he will back the governor's decision. And Granholm spokesman said the governor continues to support a Jan. 15 primary.

The two developments appear to clear the way for a Jan. 8 primary, in accordance with New Hampshire law requiring a seven-day post-primary window.

"These developments, if they come to fruition, would make it less likely that we'd be forced to have our primary this December," Gardner said, adding, "Let's see what happens."

Gardner said he believes "Iowa is trying to be helpful" by scheduling their caucuses on Jan. 3, rather than on Saturday, Jan. 5, as some key Iowa Democrats had preferred.

"They're trying to preserve their tradition" by allowing as much time as possible between their caucuses and the primary, he said.

A Saturday, Jan. 5, Iowa Democratic caucus would not have allotted enough time to lapse between the caucus and the primary for the primary to carry its traditional impact, and it may have forced Gardner to schedule a December primary.

Gardner declined to discuss Levin's comments because the situation in Michigan continues to be tenuous.

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A new law in Michigan set Democratic and GOP primaries for Jan. 15, but allows each party to opt out of that primary and hold a caucus instead, as long as they opt out by Nov. 14.

Michigan Republicans have already decided to stick with a Jan. 15 primary. It is unclear when Michigan Democratic Party officials will formally decide their stance.

Gardner has said he wants to set the primary date as soon as possible after the filing period closes a week from today. Absentee ballots need to be mailed to recipients 30 days before the primary, so he may have to set the date of the primary before the Nov. 14 Michigan opt-out date if he plans to schedule the primary for mid-December.