Paging all Texans!!

[Haole Girl]

Um... I'm embarrassed to ask this, but, how do I caucus on Tuesday?

From what I understand, I vote, then wait around until after 7 p.m. But I'm not sure what we are supposed to do after that.

Help!

:blush:

[TexasObserver]

1. Crispini and thevoiceof reason will tutor you here shortly

[Haole Girl]

2. Ok... I'll wait...

Thanks!

[TexasObserver]

3. send them a PM with a link to your thread and they'll follow it here when they see it

They're both running caucuses, and are your best advisors on this.

[Haole Girl]

4. Ok, thanks...

good idea! :hi:

[TexasObserver]

12. You'll want to be there at 7 PM, and it starts at 7:15 PM.

There will be people there organizing for Obama and Hillary, so whichever camp you are in, don't worry. They will take you in gladly and tell you exactly what you need to do.

It's fun, and I'm sure you'll enjoy the experience. Could take a couple of hours, but hang in there. It's well worth it.

[Skink]

5. Prepare to wait aroud till very late.

Then sign a list.

[Haole Girl]

6. That's it? Well, it will be tough to make it before the polls close...

I might vote in the morning. Then, I guess I go back right at 7pm?

Last time, I didn't caucus. I seriously didn't know there was a part II.

:blush:

[Skink]

15. I have to work.

In today's San Antonio paper there is a good article on how of Bexar county's 620 precints only a third of them have an appointed democratic official to run things so basically the first person in line gets the job.

These 67 delegates at stake could be crucial. There will be lawsuits.

[Haole Girl]

23. I'll prepare myself for the task.

I always end up being a leader... even though I don't like it!

:scared:

[flor de jasmim]

7. There's some info on dailykos, but you should also check out whether you have to stay

I've seen conflicting information on that.

[Haole Girl]

10. Thanks

I've heard some conflicting info, too. :hi:

[TexasObserver]

14. when you vote, ask for a Democratic precinct worker to tell you WHERE your precinct will caucus

[Haole Girl]

22. I hope I remember at that hour of the morning!

The polls open at 7 a.m., right?

[Bucky]

8. Very easy: 1- vote on Tuesday 2- go back to the same place 7pm Tuesday night

3. Sign up your name as a Clinton or Obama supporter.

At that point, you have officially caucused. From that point on, you can follow the crowd. To get more detail...

4. All the people who show up to caucus are counted and your precinct's delegates are awarded in proportion to what groups sign up. For instance say your precinct has 5 delegates and 25 people show up to caucus. If 11 are Clinton supporters and 14 are Obama supporters, then Clinton gets 2 of the 5 delegates coming out of the caucus and Obama gets 3.

(on edit) 99% of the time the caucus is held in the same place where the voting occurs. If you ask the election judge when you go in to vote, she'll tell you where the caucusing will happen. Be prepared to stay 30-45 minutes to complete the caucusing process. I suggest taking a big bunch of grapes or cookies along and sharing them with people. Sometimes the caucuses run a little long and the person who feeds the others is inevitably loved by all.

[Haole Girl]

11. Thank you!

That does sound easy enough. :hi:

[Bucky]

16. Well, obviously it can get a leettle more complex.

Definitely check out the links provided so you'll know what to do if things get spicy. However my experience has been that people caucusing always are there to play by the rules and never get ugly about the differences between candidates.

[Haole Girl]

20. I see that!! eeek!!

I am in such a conservative area, I'm getting nervous that I will have to lead the convention/caucus myself because it will be only my husband and I voting Democratic!!

:scared:

[Skink]

17. Don't worry about the traffic nightmare looming...

and if you forgot to ask where they are going to move your poll site because of space limitations to bad. More people voted early in Texas then will probably vote on election day. My early voting site did not even know there would be a caucus.

[LadyVT]

9. http://www.txdemocrats.org/ click on "precinct convention" link

[Haole Girl]

13. Thank you everyone!! I'm fine now!

Sorry for the momentary panic! :D

[syberlion]

18. To attend Precinct Convention (Caucus)

You will need your Voter registration card stamped with the democratic stamp. This will show that you voted in the primary and will allow you to participate in the precinct convention. If you voted and did not have your voter's registation card, the poll worker should have given you a receipt showing you voted and you would need to bring that to your regular polling location. The caucus will take place at 7 pm Tues. March 4th at each of the polling locations, so you will need to locate your polling location as that is where it will take place.

From the txdemocrats.org website

Precinct Convention Information
The Precinct Conventions are the first step in the Texas Democratic Party's convention process, which will ultimately determine Texas' delegates to the Democratic National Convention, where the next President of the United States will be nominated.

Date: March 4th, 2008

Time: 7:15pm or after the last voter casts his or her ballot, whichever is later.

Place: Your Precinct Polling Location (the place where you would vote on election day)

Who: Anyone who votes in the Democratic Primary that day (or during the early voting period).

Why: To elect delegates to the County or Senatorial District convention

The Texas Democratic Party has a three-level convention system:
Level 1. Precinct Conventions
Level 2. County Conventions (or Senatorial District Conventions in urban areas)
Level 3. State Convention.

Those who attend their Precinct Convention will elect delegates to the County/Senatorial Convention; those who attend their County/Senatorial Convention will elect delegates to the State Convention. Those who attend the State Convention will elect delegates to the National Convention.

There will be a sign at the polling place telling exactly where the convention will be held. If you can't find a sign, ask your election clerk where the convention will be held.

The convention begins at 7:15 p.m. when the Precinct Chair calls the convention to order. The order of business at the precinct convention is outlined in the minutes. We encourage you to familiarize yourself with the minutes so that you will understand how the precinct convention will be conducted.

The needed materials will be given to the election judge for your precinct and the judge will give them to the Precinct Chair when they arrive at the polling location. If the Precinct Chair is absent at 7:15pm, anyone participating may start the meeting.

[Haole Girl]

19. Thank you, again!

Very reassuring... thank you! :hi:

[Skink]

21. so no stamp no caucus?

I voted the first day at a diffrent polling place without my registration card. I was not given a reciept. Let the lawsuit begin.

[syberlion]

24. Call the democratic state ofc monday

They may be able to guide you with what you can do to show you voted. if you voted on one of the electronic machine, you would have received a small slip with the 4 digit access code (I still have mine) and that might help. Best advice would be to check with the state ofc, or call your county ofc and see if they can help you get something showing you did vote. If you remember where you voted, they may be able to check the sign in sheet to verify your signature. Just some thoughts to help.

[Lisa0825]

25. If you do not have your stamped card or receipt, they can look you up

inthe voter rolls. If they try to refuse to do that, INSIST. It is in the rules that they do not turn people away for not bringing documentation. If they don't look you up (or don't find you in the rolls), they are to let you caucus anyway, and later, if the race is that tight, the documentation can be confirmed (similarly to when people vote based on affidavit).

[Avalux]

29. If you voted with your ID and didn't get a receipt; call the election board.

They have a record of your vote (you had to sign in) and hopefully can help you. I can see where there will be problems when receipts weren't given to those who didn't have their voter registration cards, however they can verify you voted even at your precinct.

[thevoiceofreason]

26. I was out knocking on doors -- sorry. HERE ARE THE BASICS

Although there are minor ariations by county, here is the basic skinny:

1. Show up at 7. The precinct convention (what the caucus is called) is held at the same location as the place your precinct votes on election day (if you early voted, you need to look it up). Although the rules state that the precinct convention cannot start until the later of 7:15 or when the last voter votes, get there a little early.

2. Peopple will be shown (typically by the precinct chair who very often, but not always, acts as the temporary caucus chair) where to assemble.

3. The temporary chair will call the convention to order and inform all who she/he is, and inform them of the temporary secretary. At that time, people will come forward and sign in. To qualify to sign in, you must have voted in the democratic primary in that precinct (whether early, on election day, or by mail in vote). Almost all of the time, you will be able to demonstrate that you voted by:
a. Your voter registration card which is stamped "Democratic,"
b. A slip of paper given to you when you voted early indicting you voted,
c. A form filled out by the early voting location election judge certifying that you voted early,
d. The rolls from that precinct's election judge showing you voted.

Even if you cannot meet any of these "levels of proof," if you aver that you have voted democratic in that precinct for this primary, you must be allowed to sign in and participate. If indeed it is later revealed that you did not vote, or vote democratic, it will/may affect the delegate splits, that's all. That is determined at the state senatorial district level, typically.

TO CORRECT SOME MISINFORMATION THAT SOME FOLKS HAVE DISCUSSED, YOU CANNOT SIGN IN ANOTHER PERSON WHO IS NOT PRESENT FOR PURPOSES OF VOTING AND SELECTING DELEGATES.

4. When you sign in, you will be asked to indicate your presidential preference. You must indicate someone who was on the ballot or undecided (sorry, Kucinich backers, he isn't on the Texas ballot).

5. Once everyone has signed in, the temporary precinct convention chair will open the floor for nominations for permanent convention chair then permanent convention secretary.

6. The permanent convention chair will take over and make certain that all have signed in fully. At that point, sign in is closed for purposes of delegate selection and apportionment.

7. The permanent chair will then inform the convention how many people are signed in per candidate (or undecided), the total number of people at the convention, and the total delegates the convention is entitled to select. The total number of attendees is then divided by the total available delegates (which resulting answer is the rounded up) to arrive at the threshold number of attendees needed to make a particular presidential candidate or Mr. Undecided viable. If a candidate is not viable, his/her supporters are given the opportunity to join in with the group supporting their second choice (they don't have to, at which point they become spectators until the resolution time begins).

8. Once everyone is aligned with a viable candidate, the permanent chair announces the division of the delegates to the particular camps. Fractional support is rounded down. If a delegate remains unapportioned, that delegate is awared to the camp with the largest fractional support.

9. Each candidate's caucus then selects delegates. Nominations take place. NOTE: YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE PRESENT (OR TO HAVE SIGNED IN) TO BE NOMINATED. PRACTICE NOTE: DO NOT SEEK TO BE A DELEGATE IF YOU CANNOT ATTEND THE STATE SENATE CONVENTION ON MARCH 29. Each member of a particular candidate's caucus is given a number of votes to cast equal to the number of deleagtes awarded to that candidate (e.g., if Obama gets 12 delegates, each Obama caucus participant gets 12 votes to split however she wishes). Votes are recorded. The top vote-getters are named as deleagtes, the next equal number are deemed alternates.

10. Once the individual caucuses are done, they report their results to the permanent chair (who, by the way, was allowed to participate in the caucus of her individual choice) who moves for acceptance of the deleagtes so chosen.

11. Once that is done, the floor is opened to nominations and vote for the delegation chairman, who will be responsible for sheparding the various deleagtes from both camps to the state senate convention on March 29.

12. Once that is done, the floor is opened to consideration of resolutions. Once that is done, the convention is closed.

As Forest Gump would say: That's about all I got to say about that.

[Haole Girl]

27. Thank you very much for the details!

:hi:

[crispini]

28. You got a lot of good answers in this thread!

Yay! :hi:

[bigbrother05]

30. When voting Sen. is on the ballot also

Coryn is on there, so please vote against.
And Hillary is telling her people to get there at 6:30
Have fun