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Caucus Meetings and Political Party Conventions

Making Your Opinion Matter

What is a Precinct & District?

A precinct is a division within a city, town, or county for voting purposes

A district is a portion of a country, state, or city serving as a unit for political representation. Examples are:

1st US Congressional District – Rep. Jay Inslee

23rd State Congressional District – Rep. Sherry Appleton & Rep. Drew Hansen

What Are Caucus Meetings?

� Meeting of registered voters belonging to a certain political party

� Often held in schools, homes, or town halls

� Are organized by precinct, district, or county

� Locations for the meetings are announced in the newspaper and the local political party website

Why Are Caucuses So Important

Caucuses are a very powerful element of the

American political process and identify the very essence of the ownership of government to be held by the individual citizens and not by those elected to represent them.

Participation in a caucus is the most elementary way to have personal impact on the government we empower to act for us and to operate our city, county, and country .

Caucus are Important

� Closed meeting of a political organization

� Determines policy and elects candidates

� Elect delegates to go to convention

� Survey opinions on top issues

� Hear local candidate speeches

Register to Vote or Review Your Registration

https://wei.secstate.wa.gov/olvrsite/

Sam Reed

Washington

Secretary of State

You must be a registered voter to participate in caucus

meetings and party conventions

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Before the Caucus

� Locate or ask for a copy of your Voter Registration Card - County Elections Office

� Find the location of the caucus meeting on the county party’s website or by contacting the party – No Need to Register

� Prepare to arrive on time the day of the caucus

� Gather ideas to discuss during the meeting about your concerns and political issues

Precinct Committee Officers

� Precinct Committeeman automatically are delegates to the convention

� They are active in supporting the campaigns of the candidates of the political party

� They encourage people in their precinct to register to vote and to vote

� They attend local political meetings and are active in the decision making of the local party

Choose Which Party to Join

� Study the platforms

� What are your values

� What policies do you support?

� Democrats are more liberal and Republicans are more conservative

� http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/platforms.php

When are Caucus Meetings Held?

� Every forth year during Presidential Election Year

� Every two years on even numbered years –again 2 years after the Presidential Election

� Usually between February and April

� State platform revised every 2 years by party platform committee and voted on by the delegates, national platform only every fourth year

During the Precinct Caucus

� Sign an affidavit to preclude participation in the caucus or convention of any other political party during 2012

� Verify you are registered voter in the precinct

� Participate in a “Presidential Straw Poll”

� Elect Delegates for the County Convention

� Discuss issues and offer recommendations on the county party platform

Introduce the WSAND Platform

� Our Platform covers priority issues important to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

� It establishes the need, documents evidence of our values, and outlines our principles

� Is geared toward state and national issues

� Ask for it to given to the person who is voted in at the county convention to serve on the Washington State Platform Committee

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Wear Something Patriotic Be Careful What You Wear

Delegates Take It Up a Notch When Is the Caucus This Year?

Depends on what

political party

� Sunday-15 April 2012 for the Democrats

� Saturday-3 March 2012 for the Republicans

� Look on your county political party web site for details of location and time

Democrat Precinct Caucus Meetings

� 15 April 2012

� 1:00 to 3:00 pm

� Contact: greg@wa-democrats.org

� Also check local paper and your county Democratic party web page for information –Usually no registration required, but check 1st

WA State Democratic Convention

� Washington State Convention Center

� 800 Convention PL, Seattle, WA 98101

� 1 June to 3 June 2012

� 9:00 am to 5:00 pm

� Delegates attend

� Contact:shawna@wa-democrats.org

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Democrats Have Their Candidate What Happens at a Convention?

� Party holds a “meet and greet” for party members to meet candidates

� Delegates and candidates visit tables to learn about special interest groups

� Delegates vote on who will attend the next level convention as a delegate

� Party members hear campaign speeches

� Party members attend benefit dinners

� Candidates hold open house for to meet delegates and hear about their interests

� Delegates vote on the multiple-issue platform

Republican Precinct Caucus Meetings

� March 3rd 2012

� 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM.

� http://wsrpcaucus.tumblr.com

� Email to chairman@kitsaprepublicans.com

� Include the words PRECINCT QUESTION in the subject line – No Need to Register

Washington State Republican Convention

� Tacoma Convention and Trade Center

� 1500 Broadway Tacoma, WA 98402

� 30 May to 2 June 2012

� Elected delegates attend

� Look for updates on www.wsrp.org/

Republican “Presidential Straw Poll”

If you are attending

the Republican

Caucus, you will be

asked to declare

which candidate

you support

There will be no

Primary Elections

this year due to

budget cuts in

Washington State

Do Not Get Too Upset With

The Political Rhetoric

Politicians May Be on the Attack in Public

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Sometimes They Like Each Other Bring Nutrition to the Table

� Get your registration card

� Attend the caucus

� Meet your lawmakers and candidates

� Introduce our nutrition platform

� Become a delegate and attend conventions

� Volunteer for your political party