How the Nevada Caucuses work [View All]

[Laura PourMeADrink]

http://news.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080109/NEWS19/801090429/1016/NEWS

Parties outline how Nevada's caucuses work
GUY CLIFTON
RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL
Posted: 1/9/2008
Video: Republican caucus 101
Video: Democrat caucus 101

Republican and Democratic state party officials want voters to know one important thing about the Jan. 19 caucus.

<snip>

How they work


Republicans: The caucus begins at 9 a.m. Voters arrive at their assigned precinct site and register. Once all caucus attendees have been checked in, the caucus will begin. The first step is to elect a caucus chair to run the meeting. The next order of business will be to elect delegates and alternates to the county convention. Delegates and alternates will support their candidate at the county convention in March.

Any caucus attendee may run and first time caucus-goers are especially encouraged to run. A vote will be taken and the top vote getters are automatically elected.

Next, one representative for each presidential candidate will be given two minutes to speak and make the case for attendees to vote for their candidate. After each campaign speaker is done, ballots will be handed out and votes will be cast. Representatives for each candidate will be allowed to watch the counting of the vote. The vote totals will be announced and then called into the state Republican Party.


Democrats: Party organizers recommend attendees come with a first and second choice of candidates to support. Caucus-goers will divide into groups based on which candidate they support. The groups can then seek to persuade undecided caucus-goers to come to their camp.

To win delegates, each candidate's group must be large enough to obtain "viability." The exact number needed for viability is based on how many delegates are elected by that precinct and how many Democrats show up. If a particular candidate does not have enough supporters to be viable, those supporters must choose a different candidate.

At the end of the process, each viable candidate is assigned a portion of the precinct's delegates based on the number of caucus-goers who supported them.

Who can participate


Republicans: Voters who have registered as Republicans before Dec. 19, 2007 are eligible to participate. In addition, voters who are 17, but who will turn 18 before Nov. 4, 2008, can participate if they register as a Republican.


Democrats: All registered Democrats are eligible to participate. In addition, nonpartisans, Republicans and unregistered voters can register as a Democrat the day of the caucus and participate.

The key for all voters is to make sure they show up at their appropriate caucus location, party officials said.