2/9/2012 1 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: 1 st US Congressional District – Rep. Jay Inslee 23 rd 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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2/9/2012
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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