EXCELLENT rules clarification from TDP - MUST READ

[crispini]

From their website

URGENT: DEALING WITH HIGHER TURNOUT, REPORTING PRECINCT
CONVENTION RESULTS, COLLECTING PRECINCT CONVENTION DOCUMENTS
To: County Chairs, Precinct Chairs and Precinct Convention Chairs:
On March 4, Texas Democrats could play a historic role in deciding our Party’s nominee for President. Record primary
turnout is expected, as well as record attendance at precinct conventions, driven by a competitive race that will see our two
candidates devote unprecedented resources and organizational efforts to their Texas campaigns.
A look at voter turnout in previous primary states shows turnout increases as high as 240% compared to prior cycles.
Therefore, in Texas, we are asking that our County Chairs (as well as Precinct Convention Chairs) be prepared to handle a
possible turnout increase of 100-150% over 2004 turnout, as the campaigns and many observers expect turnout to double, at a
minimum. As Party officials responsible for administering our primary and precinct conventions in Texas, this enthusiasm
and excitement, while beneficial to our Party, also poses numerous challenges and responsibilities.

1. Our primaries and precinct conventions will be subject to the strictest level of scrutiny by the press, the public and
the presidential campaigns, and legal challenges are likely if the rules are not followed. We must do all that we can to
ensure the precinct conventions are held in accordance with state law and TDP Rules. Otherwise, our convention process and
the results of precinct conventions could be thrown into chaos.

2. Due to the closeness of the candidates’ delegate count, there will be significant pressure placed upon us by the
media, political pundits, candidates and activists alike to collect the results of our precinct conventions and
“interpret” those results in terms of national delegate allocation. We should all remind the press that Texas’ convention
process allows delegates to switch their presidential preferences up to the state convention sign in; as such, we ask that you
not make any sort of predictions/interpretations for anyone given the non-binding nature of those results.

3. Both campaigns are interested in tracking delegates and verifying results at every level, therefore, we ask that you send
your precinct convention minutes and sign in sheets to TDP and your County Party immediately. Also, we have created a
Results Hotline for you to call in and report your results immediately after adjourning your convention.

4. Given the likelihood of unexpectedly high voter turnout, many Democrats may still be standing in line to vote when
precinct conventions are set to begin at 7:15. You may NOT begin the precinct convention until the last voter has voted at
the precinct polling place. (TX Elec. Code Sec. 174.022).

5. Recognizing that counties may run out of sign-in sheets to conduct their precinct conventions, the TDP will be
posting the sign-in sheet (i.e. “Exhibit A”) on our website (www.txdemocrats.org), where it can be downloaded, printed
and distributed for use at the precinct convention. We do ask that if you download the document, please be sure to make
copies of the completed sheets in sufficient quantity to be able to send one to your County Party and one to the State Party,
just as you normally would with the carbon copies. NOTE: At the top of the precinct convention minutes, please cross
out the word “29th” day of March and write in “4th”.

6. Provisional voters may participate in the precinct convention. However, if they are discovered to be ineligible voters,
this would disqualify their participation in the convention and your delegate allocation may have to be adjusted.

7. Delegates and alternates must be elected at the precinct convention. We understand that in the past it may have been
customary to take home the sign in sheets and try to “fill out” your delegation if not enough people attended your precinct
convention to meet your delegate allotment. This is contrary to Party Rules (Article IV, C, 3) and therefore you should not
do that.

Thank you for your efforts to help Democratic voters in Texas participate in what is sure to be an exciting Primary! Together,
we can ensure that a well-run primary will lead to victory in November!
Your Friend and Fellow Democrat,

Boyd Ritchie

PDF here:
http://www.txdemocrats.org/page/-/2008%20Convention/Precinct%20Convention%20materials/TDP%202008%20Urgent%20Memo%20-%20final%20SCH.pdf

Now -- it occurs to me that this does not say definitely what we were discussing on the other thread, about whether or not someone who was not there could "sign in" and be counted in the makeup of the percentages, or not.

I think I'm going to go to the training on Tuesday and double-check on this.

[sonias]

1. thank you Crispini

This is important news. No starting the caucus until the last voter in your pct has voted. Good.

Sonia

[NoPasaran]

4. At the TCDP training session yesterday

They said that election judges here are being told to not release the precinct packet to the chair until the last voter has voted. So it will be impossible to start early.

Of course, this also means that if you were planning on reading through resolutions to kill time before the convention actually starts, you should probably bring a book instead.

[WolverineDG]

6. So do those delegates get reassigned?

For example, in our SD, there are typically 2 to 3 counties that don't send a delegation. Their delegates are then divvied up among the rest of us. Would something similar happen at the precinct level?

My head is starting to hurt.

dg

[WolverineDG]

2. I was already thinking along those lines

Not starting the caucus until the last voter has voted.

I'm glad they're clarifying the "no writing in your friends' names for your candidate" thing. One precinct chair here does this all the time. Is she going to be surprised this time. :evilgrin:

Okay, 100-150% increase in turnout = 4 people at my caucus. :rofl: halp! ;)

Now what if not enough people show up to fill your delegation? Can you give someone your proxy (like we did in 2006 for the party chair run-off)?

dg

[NoPasaran]

5. If there aren't enough people to fill up your delegation

Persons not there but otherwise eligible can be written in---but they have to be written in that night, no more taking the sign in sheets home and adding people later.

[sonias]

3. Latest Texas Observer magazine

Has several articles on the primary. I just finished reading it cover to cover. Really good issue.

Anyhow even they join in on how to caucus

The Texas Observer
How the Texas Caucus Works

Forrest Wilder | February 22, 2008 | Features

The 42 at-large delegates are selected through a three-month, three-tier caucus convention system that starts at the precinct level on primary night and ends at the state convention in June. Here is how the mind-bogglingly complex Texas caucus system works. Clip this out, take it with you to the polls, or, better yet, put it on your refrigerator as a monument to the wisdom of the Texas Democratic Party.

1. At 7:15 p.m. or thereabouts on March 4, after the polls close, those who voted in the Democratic primary and want to participate in a caucus will gather at a designated location, usually their precinct polling places.

2. The first order of business is for participants to sign in with their name, address, and voter ID number, and identify their presidential preferences or “uncommitted” status.

more at link above

In their editorial, they give Senator Robert Duncan credit for not moving up the primary in Texas. I do remember the bill passed the House but really forgot how it died.

Sen. Robert Duncan (R-Lubbock)—and 10 of his colleagues who chose to impose the Senate’s rule requiring two-thirds of the 31-member body to bring up any bill—blocked a similar measure approved in committee. At the time, Duncan said he opposed the change mainly because it would "be a severe hardship" on county election officials.

So if Texas does go blue and we win back the House we can thank Senator Duncan for the great assist. :rofl:

Sonia