Democrats' caucus plans upset Fallon - (WCF Courier)

[Debi]

The Democrats' me-against-the-world candidate for governor, Ed Fallon is miffed at the state party. He's upset that this year's off-year caucuses won't end up being a measure of strength for the party's large field of gubernatorial contenders.

State party officials are not asking caucus attendees to declare who they are supporting for governor. That means they won't be picking delegates to the state and county conventions according to candidate preference. It might seem like a technicality that makes little difference. But with up to seven people seeking the party's nomination this year, it could matter down the road.

If none of the candidates are able to snag 35 percent of the vote in the primary election, the decision goes to a state convention in June. And that's when the delegates selected at the caucuses later this month would help settle what could be a nasty intra-party fight.

<snip>

Whether Fallon is getting snubbed or is simply trying to push the envelope is up for debate.

But his give-the-power-back-to-the people campaign is likely to give state Democratic Party insiders a lot of indigestion in the coming months and give the rest of us plenty to cheer about.


http://www.wcfcourier.com/articles/2006/01/08/columnists/eby/e3dae6033d4c3031862570ee00719401.txt

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Okay, caucus aficionados, answer this: If a person is selected to go to county convention as a delegate for a specific candidate and moves on to district and state as a delegate for that candidate, is it written in stone that at state convention they have to vote for that candidate? I always thought delegates could switch their votes at any time as they wished. Please educate me.

[IA_Seth]

1. I understand it the way you do.

I can understand Fallon's frustration to a point. Caucus time would be a good opportunity to test candidate's support and see where they stand. I think this would be beneficial to the candidates as well as the party.

However I understand it the way you do; you can change your mind at any convention you attend so this would be a good indicator but not a true polling.

[Debi]

2. I think Fallon wants to use the breaking into preference groups

as a counter to the $$$ that Culver and Blouin (and maybe Judge) will be crowing about this month. It can still be done and we'll see what happens next Monday.

I did think it odd that the IDP held caucus trainings and discouraged breaking into preference groups. Why would the state party care? Unless the act of caucus-goers breaking into preference groups hindered a certain candidate's progress, one who isn't so progressive and doesn't have much grass roots support....who would that be? hehehe okay, I'm being facetious.

Did anyone here go to their caucus training? Besides me.

[Rambis]

3. I will be supporting Ed

If everyone voted for him that wanted to I think he could win. He has friends on both sides of the isle and is in favor of campaign finance reform which everyone agrees needs to be curtailed. He gets my vote because he is pro choice, anti death penalty, anti corporate welfare and is in favor of clean election laws. None of the other candidates have the integrity of Ed Fallon, none of them.
If they did they would be living in downtown Des Moines walking to work and talking about Urban sprawl, white flight and the deterioration of the inner city neighborhoods.

[Debi]

4. Are you going to try to break into preference groups at your caucus?

I guess we could at our caucus as I will probably be only my husband and I that attend from our very small township, but I think we'll just try to move on to County Convention and to District and State from there. What are your plans?

[IA_Seth]

5. My plans..

My caucus is actually taking place at the local Teamster's hall, a ways away from its normal location at our local elementary school. There are a LOT of precincts doing their caucuses at this location, so I am guessing everyone will be following "the rules" and not breaking into preference groups.

If we do break out I have a feeling there will be a lot of pressure to go Blouin. He has a lot of elected's support around here (but not a lot of the activists that I am aware of) and I think their presence can act as a prod for some people. That being said, if I have to pretend to sing the praises of Blouin to get myself in to the state convention (where it is likely we may have to do the choosing) I will do so. I am VERY doubtful that I could ever support Blouin at any level, but if I have to say I do to get moved along I sure will.

Is that bad of me? I caucused for Gephardt (sp?) in 04 with no intention of selecting him either.

[Debi]

7. Your not doing anything wrong, that's how Kucinich/Edwards did it

in the 2004 Caucuses. That was why I asked the earlier question about what happens at the State Convention.

If you are moved on to the State Convention as a Blouin delegate do you have to vote for Blouin in the final count? I thought that, at any point, you were allowed to switch your vote, but I'm not 100% certain.

Anybody know for certain?

I would do the same as you plan on doing if it gets me to the State Convention as long as I CAN change my vote.

[IA_Seth]

9. Yes, I know for certain you can...ok ok 90% certain.

I am almost positive I can recall a mention specifically in the either the county or the state (I couldnt make it to the district) convention booklet that you can change preference groups at any point.

I would assume this is the same for any gubernatorial preference groups as well, but I suppose I am not 100% sure on that. I tried to look on the iowademocrats site (very quickly) and didnt see anything.

[Rambis]

6. I am going to try

I have only been to presidential ones so it should be interesting. In ref to your question about changing a vote once you are at convention.... I did see a person that was a designated Edwards delegate change to Kerry at the county convention so it is possible I guess.

[Debi]

8. You only need 15% of your precinct to agree to break into groups

and then you select the number of delegates based on the break-down (exactly like the presidentials).

PLEASE, if you do it let me know here what happened. Like I said, it will only be two of us (maybe more, but I doubt it) at my caucus, so I'd love to hear what happens in the event you do break in to preference groups.

And, you may want to contact the press if you do and if Fallon is successful in your precinct caucus. It would give him good press to show that his grass-roots organization worked.

[yellowdog]

10. I will be the caucus chair at our precinct caucus

and I will give the people the choice, though I doubt that they will be wanting to break into preference groups here. Yes, the girl from the state was discouraging this from happening but sometimes I think the state wants a little too much control over local happenings. It would be pretty much a waste of time since any delegate choice would be non-binding and they can change their mind at any point in the process.

[Debi]

11. Yeah, it seems that the campaigns

are focusing not on breaking into preference groups but making sure supporters move on to convention since that's where the decisions will be made.

How big is your precinct?

[yellowdog]

12. I imagine we will have about

30 people attending. It is kind of hard to judge with it being an off-year caucus. At the last presidential caucus we had about 190 people there.

[Debi]

13. Wow, we had 22 show for the presidential in 2004 which topped the 7

that showed up in 2000! I'm holding out for 3-5 making it this time only because of the Gov/Congressional races. Like I said, I'm from a small township.

[progressoid]

14. results of caucus activity...are not binding on the elected delegates

but the delegates usually feel obligated to follow the wishes expressed by the caucus-goers. Thus the initial caucus results provide a good barometer of the composition of Iowa's national delegation.


http://www.iowacaucus.org/faqs.html

[Debi]

15. THANKS!

:bounce:

And just in time!