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June 4, 2012

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Letter to the editor:

Caucuses unfair to would-be voters

Don Love, Las Vegas

Thursday, Feb. 9, 2012 | 2 a.m.

I have had it with this caucus system. It denies many of the electorate from voting for their party candidate. This year was no different than the 2008 caucus. It was disorganized. The electorate was uninformed. Many people were shut out from the voting.

Read your newspaper articles about all those who could not vote. They were the ones reported about. How many voters were not heard from who could not get to the caucus places or could not find the place or, most significant, were shut out because it started at 9 a.m. and ended at 9:30 a.m.?

To me this is not a way to allow the electorate an opportunity to cast their vote for their candidate of choice. This Republican Party and this state need to return to the primary system of allowing the electorate the freedom to select the person they want to represent them in government. This caucus system is flawed and unconstitutional.

It denies the right to vote for deployed service members, religious adherents, persons with disabilities or those in poor health, students who attend school away from home and shift workers unable to leave work. Caucuses have drastically lower voter turnout rates than primaries. Caucuses are not democratic. Put an end to this system that does not allow the electorate their opportunity to vote for their choice of candidate.

Discussion: 4 comments so far…

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  1. By PISCES41 (Jim Weber)
    Feb. 9, 2012
    5:36 a.m.
    Flag

    The caucus system is an invention of political parties. If you don't like it or find it flawed, complain to them.

    The caucus system exist because our Legisature has, by action or inaction, delegated the selection of Presidential nominees to the political parties. This leaves non-partisan or independent voters completely out of the process. If you don't like it, complain to your Legislators.

  2. By ColinFromLasVegas
    Feb. 9, 2012
    7:03 a.m.
    Flag

    I agree that there is a need for change. So that voters have more of a say in who their nominee will be.

    But, it can't happen.

    Judging from the fiasco revealed last week, the Nevada GOP clearly don't want that to happen.

    THEY want to have the ability to tell their voters who to vote for. You don't have a say in the matter.

    The ultra-neo-conservative mess the Tea/Republican Party has morphed into, partly their own fault because of mismanagement and incompetence, and partly because they don't trust the voters out there, shows they are behind the scenes quietly stepping forward and making the choice themselves. Or steering it however they want it to go.

    Don't believe me? Look back at November 2010 with the nomination of a nutball to run for Senate (Angle). The voters, because of Lowden's chicken meltdown, chose their nominee. And it was doomed from the beginning. The Nevada GOP, from everything shown so far, don't want that to happen again, and has put its foot down, has now decided THEY will pick. They clearly show they don't want a replay of the past. The voters can't be trusted by them anymore. THEY choose.

    Their voters are not allowed to fall in love. Just fall in line.

    Just the way it is. Because of the political climate the Tea/Republicans are immersed in nowadays they prefer to run on intransigence, continual confrontation and perpetual chaos. Those things are their only fuel. Nothing else. Democratic principles we have lived by and proscribe to have been shoved aside. They aren't interested in protecting voter rights or letting them have a choice anymore. IT'S JUST POLITICS ONLY.

    That's the way they want it. And that's the way it will be.

    Everyone needs to fall in line.

    Time for you diehard Republicans to shake things up and fix your party. Because something sure smells foul in conservatism as it has presently evolved into in its present form. It is now certified to be an unmanageable debacle of epic proportions. Even the world's worst dictators wouldn't find a home in Tea/Republican Party politics nowadays.

  3. By gingerlee (Ginger McGraw)
    Feb. 9, 2012
    9:04 a.m.
    Flag

    A caucus is cheaper than a primary.
    "Everything must be done as cheaply as possible."
    Isn't that the mantra?

  4. By VernosB (vernos branco)
    Feb. 9, 2012
    12:25 p.m.
    Flag

    The Republican Tea Party has acted with little respect and civility toward others. Voters shouldn't be surprised that they are treated unfairly as well.

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