Share your experience

By Sun Editors · January 19, 2008 · 1:33 PM

Throughout this historic day, we ask you share your experience with Nevada's first-in-the-West caucus. E-mail brief accounts of your experience to caucus@lasvegassun.com. Share pictures from this historic day via the Nevada Caucus flickr group.

Discussion: 12 comments so far...

By Sun Staff

1/19/08 at 11:40 a.m.

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We were at Mojave High School. Our room had two precincts, as did I believe all the rooms. Our room and the two on each side of us were about 50 to 60 percent Romney, and no one else had more than 10 percent. We had 50 people in two precincts, and Romney had 30 of us.

-- Ed Blackham, North Las Vegas
By Sun Staff

1/19/08 at 1:32 p.m.

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Being a union member I had been contacted at least a dozen times by phone and on 3 different occasions people came to my door asking me to make sure I attend the caucus which was held at the Desert Vista Community Center in Sun City. I went early because I knew parking was at a premium. I managed to park but those who came a few minutes later might have just walked because by 11 AM there was no parking for for least a 1/2 mile away (or more). When I entered the building I couldn't believe the chaos. There was complete disorganization! The place was so full it was impossible to move and it was definitely a fire hazard. This building is not large enough to accommodate the hordes of people trying to exercise their right to vote at the caucus. I, as many others did, found a back door to walk out because it would have been impossible to leave the way we came in. If we had stayed it probably would have been hours until everyone could be accommodated. In brief, this was a big disaster!!!

Most states have primaries and that's what Nevada should have. Besides the problem noted above many Nevadans were disenfranchised e.g. because they have to work on Saturdays or they are Jews observing the Sabbath.

Hopefully, this is the last time Nevada will have a caucus.

-- JUDY643
By Sun Staff

1/19/08 at 1:33 p.m.

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Today's democratic caucus was very exciting, what with all the candidates in town stumping all week and meeting with neighbors and friends to caucus. There were 2 precincts at our location, which made for a little confusion but it was interesting to watch the tight representation race between Obama and Clinton in both precincts. It was great to be part of this process.

-- Paul B. Aguirre
By hurbur

1/19/08 at 1:35 p.m.

(Removed by the site staff)
By Brneyesuss

1/19/08 at 2:06 p.m.

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This voter hopes she never has to endure another archaic caucus as long she lives !
By tim

1/19/08 at 2:32 p.m.

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Our precinct (2311) was so chaotic that Chelsea Clinton herself came in and helped to organize the entire affair.

The precinct had 124 voters in all. I was impressed when we finally split into our candidate support groups, and Chelsea helped the four Edwards supporters find each other. When they failed to meet the threshold of viability, they broke for Clinton 3 to 1 over Obama.

But the sheer lack of directions, word-of-mouth misinformation, and questionable actions by all campaign representatives reinforced what we all know... we need to move to a primary process. The caucus requires too much preparation and instruction for our underfunded state organizations to pull off successfully.
By nvexplorer

1/19/08 at 2:37 p.m.

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An awful experience. Bring the primary system to Nevada, and end the madness.
By andyebon

1/19/08 at 2:38 p.m.

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I am a Libertarian voter who changed registration to the Democratic party, to enable me to caucus for a Democratic candidate.

I attended the local precinct (1300) caucus at Durango High School and can report that not even the 'appearance of democracy' was in effect. It was virtually chaos from beginning to end.

As a 'democrat for the day,' I have an unbiased view of the party, and can tell you that they should be collectively embarrassed. Disorganization was the word for the day. Personally, I lay that at the feet of the Nevada State Democratic Party. Let me summarize.

* About a half dozen precincts were assembled at various locations within the school complex. There was no map or signage to indicate where each precinct was to gather.

* No neutral party representatives were present to facilitate the proceedings, including checking of voter registration cards or new voter registration forms.

* Many people showed up, not knowing their precincts. There was no mechanism or procedure to help people figure out where to go. A number of people surely wound up leaving or not casting their preference, as a result.

* They ran out of ballots, rendering the use of ballots, impossible. So the precincts were reduced to counting heads. No valid paper trail exists, as a result.

Regardless of candidate vs. candidate sniping (I'm sure there will be plenty of that), the bottom line is that the process was strictly amateur hour. With my eyes, there appears to be no validity to the process that I witnessed today.
By Sun Staff

1/19/08 at 3:13 p.m.

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my friend and i were in the uncommited section we were only allowed to vote once and they did not accept our second vote when it would have put the chairperson's candidate second i said i would call the ACLU if i could not cast a second vote for a canidate. she then let us vote but said it didn't matter because she would have her candidate declared the winner. what is wrong with this kind of politics? BRING BACK THE PRIMARY WHERE AT LEAST OUR VOTE COUNTS.. WHAT A SHAM
-- Carol Howland
By Sun Staff

1/19/08 at 3:41 p.m.

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The most unprofessionally run group I have ever seen. My wife and I will never caucus again.
Thomas Igo, Precinct 2133
By LilGeneral

1/19/08 at 3:42 p.m.

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The caucus I attended was pretty tame, but the results were not like the overall state or county results.

Our caucus was 42 for Clinton, 23 for Edwards & 19 for Obama.....for a 4-2-2 delegate split with Clinton getting 4 delegates.

No one switched, and everyone stayed right where they sat when they came in.
By turtlegirl

1/19/08 at 3:51 p.m.

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The Democratic caucus in Boulder City was well-organized with minimal confusion. My precinct, with 107 voters plus their kids, shared a gym with another precinct with what I would estimate a larger turnout. Entering the school grounds, there were maps of the precincts, lists of registered voters and which precinct they were in, and people helping direct where on the campus each precinct would go to. The only confusion in finding the caucus was that the caucus was not at the school we usually vote at. Yet, being Boulder City, the caucus site was simply across the street from our usual polling place.

The caucus itself went well, but the acoustics of the gym, the number of milling people chatting, and a second precinct also trying to do their own caucus, made it difficult to hear the instructions. But there were enough volunteers helping out to answer my questions on what to do next. This included answering questions on what happened with voters for unqualified candidates, and let me determine my voting strategy before the voting happened. I was initially undecided, leaning towards a candidate, and I enjoyed and appreciated the opportunity to discuss my concerns and ask questions with people supporting the various candidates.

I wasn't sure when the caucus actually ended. My kids were getting restless, so I asked if we were done, and was told they were just verifying the results, but the unofficial tally was so many votes for Clinton, Obama, Edwards, and Richardson (unqualified, had to vote a second time).

All in all a pleasant experience - mostly because it was refreshing to see so many people interested enough in the future of this country to spend a few hours in a middle school gym. I'd still prefer a primary, as I had to schedule around it. I was told the state said they wouldn't fund a primary election, so that's why we are doing caucuses now?