Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Caucus FAQS
Who makes the caucus rules?
How long will the caucus take?
Tom Hartley, Chairman of the Douglas County Democratic Party, said it usually took the chairman of the caucus 20 minutes to count people at the caucus. He said it takes about five minutes for voters to separate into their candidates’ groups, although party rules state that voters have a maximum of 30 minutes to complete this process.
If a candidate or candidates are not viable, a second period of 30 minutes is allocated for voters to abandon their candidate or persuade others to join their group.
Hartley said it takes about 20 more minutes for voters to select delegates to represent their candidate at the District Committee. So, the caucus could last anywhere from one to two hours.
When is the District Committee?
April 12. At the District Committee, delegates will be selected to attend the State Committee on May 17. At the State Committee, delegates will be selected to attend the National Convention Aug. 24-28 in Denver, Colo.
How many delegates will my caucus send to the District Committee?
According to the Kansas Democratic Party’s Web site, if your caucus is at Abe and Jake’s, nine voters will be selected as delegates. If your caucus is at Liberty Hall, 10 delegates will be selected. If your caucus is at Memorial Armory, your caucus will select 17 delegates.
Can I go to another caucus?
My friends live west of Iowa street and I live east of Iowa Street. I want to caucus with my friends. Can I go to their caucus? No! You must attend your own caucus. You can find what caucus you are in by going to the caucus finder on the Kansas Democratic Party Web site. Representatives check identification at the door, and if you cannot prove that you live within that caucus’s boundaries, then you will not be allowed to participate.
Can I participate in the Republican primary if I participate in the Democratic caucus?
No. The Republican primary is a closed primary, meaning only registered Republicans can participate. Voter registration is checked at the door.
How many voters does my candidate need to be viable?
Candidates need 15 percent of the total number of voters to be viable.
What else can I expect at the caucus?
While voters are deciding which candidate they want to support, local representatives will give speeches encouraging voters to support their campaign. They will also pass around petitions asking for your support. In addition, one voter from each presidential support group will receive the opportunity to give a three minute speech to persuade voters to reallocate their vote to said candidate.
Anything else I should know?
Undecided is also a candidate choice. Undecided could be a viable candidate. At the national level, undecided delegates can give their nominating vote to any candidate of their choosing.
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