The Texas Two Step Nightmare

[Skink]

Now that Texas residents are starting to realize there is a Caucus event that takes place after the primary voting closes and the Texas Caucus apportions 20 percent of the delegates in the state, panic is mounting.

My polling place is a small Library. During early voting I could vote anywhere, but for the caucus we all have to go to our particular polling place. Traffic congestion in the area I go to is unbelievable when the library is only half full. What will happen when a thousand times the number of people that can fit at the library will be trying to get in at 7pm sharp? Will people avoid voting that day in the primary because of this scenario? Will Hillary after sueing to get Florida and Michigan seated at the convention face a similar lawsuit when Obama claims chaos at the Texas Caucus prevented him in attaining a few more delegates needed to win nationally?

:yoiks:

[grantcart]

1. Why (and how) Texas will matter in March

http://www.texasobserver.org/article.php?aid=2689
FROM THE TEXAS OBSERVER

The caucus action begins at the precinct level on the night of March 4, and then moves to county/senatorial district-level conventions on March 29, and then to the Texas Democratic Party State Convention in early June. Each step winnows the field of delegates until the state convention’s end, when 67 are left standing.

Caucuses tend to reward campaigns that can mobilize disciplined and highly motivated voters. Obama, in particular, has proven adept at harnessing grassroots energy to seize the levers of caucus control in state after state, winning 10 of 11 caucuses so far. For her part, Clinton may rely on union member supporters to vote for her at the caucus level.

Precinct caucuses in normal election years are relatively uneventful affairs, attended by few but the party faithful. This year, though, the system will be tested by an influx of new voters and candidates eager to lock up delegates at the precinct conventions.

According to Ian Davis, coordinator of Texans for Obama, “This will be the largest voter turnout ever in the state of Texas. The county election aren’t prepared for this; the Texas Democratic Party isn’t ready for this. Nobody is ready for this.”

Consequently, the potential for caucus confusion or worse is significant. For starters, the March 4 precinct conventions can’t begin until the last regular precinct ballot is cast. With record turnout expected, long lines could delay the start of caucuses in some precincts by hours. In just one Harris County precinct, which presents an unusually long ballot this year, Harris County Democratic Party volunteer Leif Hatlen expects 2,000 primary voters. But heavy turnout won’t be the only hurdle to an efficient caucus. There’s also enormous complexity.

“It’s a Byzantine process,” said Glen Maxey, a former state representative from Austin and caucus expert.

Ed Martin, an old Democratic hand, describes a recent DNC conference call he was on. “The biggest concern they’re getting from the campaigns is the potential for mischief,” Martin said.

Democrats are vague on the specifics of what irregularities might arise, but one potential problem area is the manner in which delegates are awarded to candidates in the precinct conventions. When voters arrive at the caucus they sign in with their name, address, voter ID number and presidential preference. They will then be checked against voter rolls to make sure they voted in the Democratic primary for that precinct. Then delegates are divvied up based on each candidate’s share of sign-in-sheet supporters. Even insiders are confused about the system’s nuances and potential loopholes.

“You can literally sign people in who aren’t there,” Davis told the Observer. “… It’s just ripe for abuse.”

Texas Democratic Party communications director Hector Nieto insists that only those who are present can be counted, but that message clearly hasn’t reached everyone.

Nieto said his office is training county chairs in the process, coordinating with the campaigns, and planning to deploy field staff statewide to monitor the caucuses. “We’re confident that we’ll have a smooth caucus process,” Nieto said.

But with more than 8,000 precincts in the state, it will be impossible to place independent monitors everywhere. Davis, of Texans for Obama, is encouraging Obama supporters to take video cameras to the polls. “I want to shine a big flashlight on this so nothing under the table happens,” he said.

Party insider Martin is less worried, arguing that the highly competitive nature of the contest itself could help prevent widespread irregularities. “The campaigns, ultimately, are the police,” he said.

[crispini]

4. You CANNOT sign in people who are not there. THAT is BULLSHIT.

Davis needs to learn his stuff better.

[WolverineDG]

7. You can nominate those who aren't there, right?

but they're not included in the caucus numbers. That's based only on those present, right?????

:crazy:

dg

[crispini]

8. You can nominate those who aren't there.

But they don't count in the math you do.

Ok, it is a little confusing, but if you think it through, it makes perfect sense.

I'm just worried this honcho Obama guy has it confused. Not cool.

[grantcart]

9. You are right but I think what he was talking about

was that without a neutral observer at each of the 8000 precincts - which no one expects them to achieve people would be able to do that and no one would know- not that it would be legal


At 7:15 p.m., precinct conventions will be held at most polling places, which are open to those who voted in the Democratic primary. At this point, participants sign in and declare their presidential preference, or that they are uncommitted, which is an option not available on the primary ballot

[crispini]

15. Both sides are going to be really ready to jump everyone's shit.

So I'm not so worried about that. :D

[grantcart]

21. i am not worried at all

I know that from California alone there are over 120 volunteers there and that they have specifically assembled attorneys just in case.

[thevoiceofreason]

10. Here's the skinny as taught by the Harris County party

You can sign in people who voted and who are not at the precinct convention for one purpose only. They cannot be counted among the persons there for the caucus. But you can put their information down in order for them to be a state senate convention delegate (if you have someone who cannot be there but is dying to be a delegate, you have room, they get voted in, etc.) They have no vote at the precinct convention (you cannot say "I have the proxy for John Doe or Jane Smith" -- no proxies!!). Further, their name on a list does not count as a "person supporting Hillary" or a "person supporting Barack" for purposes of apportioning the precinct delegates. What putting them on the list does do (with a big old asterisk by their name identifying them as a non-present delegate candidate) is allow the senate convention credentials committee to have an easier time in determining if they qualify to be a delegate to the senate convention if they are elected by that candidate's caucus or, in those rare instances, where there are more delegates available than caucus goers.

[WolverineDG]

13. Thanks for the info! n/t

[crispini]

14. That is exactly correct.

But it's going to be important, so I hope that the guy from the campaign gets it right.

I'm planning on having everyone sign in first and only AFTER the individual candidate caucuses break up, then they will have to bring me names to add to the list if they want to send a delegate who is not there. Nothing extra goes on the sheet until after the sign in is done.

[thevoiceofreason]

17. Good idea.

[eleny]

2. I worried about that too, up here in CO

And it was a really cold night with very icy streets. So I had hubby drop me off and pick me up. (He's an independent old poop.) But anyhow, it worked out for me.

[rodeodance]

3. Why is this Hillary's fault??---because TX failed to do its job?--what a bunch of bull.

Will Hillary after sueing to get Florida and Michigan seated at the convention face a similar lawsuit when Obama claims chaos at the Texas Caucus prevented him in attaining a few more delegates needed to win nationally?

[Skink]

5. Texas will be this years Florida.

Meanwhile Mccain is violating campaing finance reform by spending both matching funds and money now flowing into his campaign.

[rodeodance]

6. maybe------but your OP blaming Hillary is FLAMEBAIT!

[EFerrari]

11. Why is the TX system so baroque?

I'm probably not smart enough to vote in Texas because that all sounds very confusing!

[thevoiceofreason]

12. It really isn't

We're used to it. It is just that this year we will have many new folks who have no idea about it.

[crispini]

16. It's complicated, but very fair.

Voters are rewarded for their participation, but party regulars and faithful and those who take the time to show up are also rewarded. As it should be, I think. :D

[EFerrari]

19. I didn't even know that TX held a caucus!

Nothing like 8 years of Junior to make you hyper vigilant.

[sonias]

20. It actually favors the grassroots

When this system was put in place it was to make sure the candidate that won, didn't just do it in a money buy of media. You also had to show people were willing to stand and caucus for the candidate.

And it's also how the Democratic party in Texas is governed, so you want that process to come from the precinct level. Those delegates that get elected to their county and then state convention have all the power to control the State Party. It's a good thing.

This year there will be changes made at our State Party too. This wave of new voters and delegates will make sure of that.

When Howard Dean ran for President in 2004, over half of the people that went to the Texas Democratic Pary state convention had never even been to a state convention. I was one of those people.

The following state convention in 2006 we had a contested race for State Democratic Party chair. That was the first time that had happened in over 30 years.

This caucus system makes the party accountable.

Sonia

[WolverineDG]

22. Little did we know then it was "on the job training"

:snerk:

Still, I think we got our point across. I mean, Lubbock voting for a gay guy to be party chair? I LOVED the audible gasps when that result was announced.

dg

[crispini]

24. SNARF!

Yeah, the DEANIACS are BACK! and this time, WE'RE BRINGIN' THE OBAMA-MANICS TO THE PARTY!

:rofl:

[bigbrother05]

18. Maybe you can find a bigger Caucus site

get ahold of members, doesn't hurt to ask.

[Eric J in MN]

23. Having dealt with car traffic leaving an MN caucus,

...I'm now against the system where everyone in a state votes around the same time for party presidential nominee.

I believe in letting people vote from at least 7AM to 8PM to reduce traffic.

[Skink]

25. I'm taking the bus.

I don't have caucus ins on my policy.