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Caucus: Frequently Asked Questions Please click on the FAQ below -- Am I eligible to participate in my precinct caucus? -- Do I have to go to my precinct caucus to vote in the November presidential election? -- How is my caucus location defined? -- What is my precinct number? -- Where will my precinct caucus meet? -- What is a caucus? -- What is the difference between a “Straw poll” and a “Preference poll”? -- What is the difference between a “Convention” and an “Assembly”? -- Can I be a delegate to the National Democratic Convention? -- Do I need to bring a photo ID to the caucus? -- Can I still vote for a candidate who has dropped out? -- What does a Precinct Committee Person (PCP) do? -- Are there training sessions to teach people how to lead the caucuses? -- Am I eligible to participate in my precinct caucus? (examples) -- How will I find confirmation that I am a delegate or alternate to the county assembly? -- I want to register a challenge to something that happened at caucus that I thought was not correctly documented – how do I do this? -- Why does Colorado have a caucus presidential selection process? Why not a traditional primary voting process? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Caucus: Frequently Asked Questions Am I eligible to participate in my precinct caucus? If you are registered with the Jefferson County Clerks office as a voter with a party affiliation of Democrat you may fully participate in your neighborhood democratic precinct caucus, subject to the following considerations: - You must have been registered as a Democrat for at least 2 months if you have been a registered voter for at least 2 months. - You must have registered to vote and do so as a Democrat no later than 29 days before caucus. - You must have been a resident of the precinct for 30 days. - Persons who reach the age of 18 or become naturalized citizens within two months of caucus may participate if they register as a Democrat before caucus. - A voter who moved less than 30 days from the precinct in which they were registered may vote in their old precinct caucus but may not be elected as a delegate to the county convention/assembly. Do I have to go to my precinct caucus to vote in the November presidential election? No. You will be eligible to vote in the November presidential election if you are a properly registered voter whether or not you participate in your precinct caucus. How is my caucus location defined? Based on a registered voter’s address, there are “precincts” which cover specific areas based on using streets as “lines” to identify that area. Your precinct is listed on your voter ID card and can be found by clicking here to go to the Secretary of State’s web site and entering your information. Your precinct will have a specific caucus location. Some locations will house several precinct meetings the night of caucus, so KNOW YOUR PRECINCT NUMBER and make sure you are at the right meeting! ** In 2012 Most Caucus Locations Will Change!! Please check www.jeffcodems.org for your NEW CAUCUS LOCATION! ** What is my precinct number? This information can be checked by clicking here for the Colorado Secretary of State's web link. A precinct is a neighborhood division determined by county officials and based on census data. It is the smallest political unit in the U.S. Each precinct contains approximately 1,000 to 1,500 residents. A precinct number is 10 digits and these 10 digits are divided up to represent a voter’s 5 geographic political areas. Each voter has a Congressional District (CD), Senate District (SD), House District (HD), County, and Precinct. For example the precinct number: 7202430001 means: CD SD HD County Precinct 7 20 24 30 001 ** 2012 is a year that the entire state is going through a process called “Redistricting and Reapportionment” which simply means that the maps are being re-drawn for political districts using the 2010 census data as input. This means that everyone’s precinct number is likely to change, either a little bit or a lot. It is important for everyone to look up their voter information! ** Where will my precinct caucus meet? Most precinct caucuses meet in a neighborhood school or church that has been selected to meet physical access requirements. You can find your neighborhood caucus location by checking www.jeffcodems.org. In Jefferson County we have hundreds of precincts and we will be meeting in several different caucus locations. Multiple precincts will be using meeting rooms in the same building. Caucuses will begin at 7:00 PM. It helps to arrive early to check-in and find your meeting room. What is a caucus? A caucus is a meeting of the neighborhood (precinct) members of a political party to discus candidates and policies, to select delegates to an assembly and in presidential years, a convention, and to deliberate resolutions. All participants have an opportunity to be heard and vote. Your neighborhood Democratic Party caucus is autonomous and will select its own leaders and procedural rules. However, county, state and national party rules apply to voting and precinct reporting. Democratic Party caucuses should be characterized by respectful deliberation and dialogue covering a wide range of issues and candidates. Some of the items of business discussed at caucus include: - Electing Precinct Committee People (PCPs) to serve for 2 years to help the county party get organized and get Democrats elected across the county. - Conduct a straw poll and preference poll for Democratic candidates. - Electing Delegates and Alternates to represent candidates at the Jefferson County Assembly and in presidential election years, the Jefferson County Convention. (Both are held on the same day and location). - Discuss and vote on resolutions to be submitted for the Democratic County Party Platform What is the difference between a “Straw poll” and a “Preference poll”? A straw poll is an informal vote at a caucus that is taken by a show of hands or by voice for the purpose of determining a level of support for a candidate or issue. After a straw poll participants may change their votes and the straw poll result is not recorded. A preference poll is the final vote on a candidate or issue that is recorded in the official caucus report. The preference poll result will determine the number of delegates a candidate receives going to the county democratic assembly and in presidential years, the county convention as well. What is the difference between a “Convention” and an “Assembly”? The county and state conventions deal with the selection of the party’s presidential candidate. Assemblies select candidates for the US Senate and local offices. The county conventions and assemblies meet at the same location time and the chair will adjourn the convention and immediately call the assembly to order. Typically the same delegates go to both the convention and assembly. Colorado House Districts and Senate Districts wholly contained within Jefferson County will hold their assemblies immediately after the county assembly. US congressional districts and multi-county Colorado House Districts and Senate Districts will hold their assemblies at other locations and times (Often on the same day and location as the State Assembly and Convention). Can I be a delegate to the National Democratic Convention? Colorado has over 90 positions for delegates to the National Democratic Convention in August, including “Super Delegates” (elected officials like Senators, Congressional Representatives, and Governor.) Persons wishing to serve as national convention delegates must be elected at the Colorado State Democratic Convention or from their Congressional District Convention. Do I need to bring a photo ID to the caucus? No, but you should bring your voter registration card or something with your precinct number on it so you will get to the right caucus group. When you sign-in at your caucus your name should be on the list of registered voters for your precinct. If your name is on the list you will not be asked for any additional identification. If your name is not on the list and you are confident that you are properly registered to the precinct as a Democrat, you may participate after completing an “Affirmation of Eligibility Form.” Can I still vote for a candidate who has dropped out? Yes. Precinct caucus voters can vote for a presidential candidate who has withdrawn. The vote count for such candidates must total at least 15% of the total caucus vote count for the candidate to earn a delegate to the county convention. What does a Precinct Committee Person (PCP) do? The PCPs are the heart and soul of the party. They are essential to electing our candidates and for party activism and communication. This is a completely volunteer position serving a two year term. Precinct Committee People are responsible for: - Attending all meetings of the County Central Committee or designate a proxy. (There are at least two each year). - Attending all meetings of their precinct’s House District or designate a representative to attend on your behalf. - Attempting to recruit party workers and supervise their activities within the precinct as directed by the Captains and House District officers. - Distributing and/or supervising distribution of party literature in the precinct. - Conducting and/or assisting with the precinct activities such as canvassing, registration drives, and funding drives as may be required. - Notifying registered Democrats in the precinct of the time and place of the precinct caucus. - Supporting the nominees of the party, with the exception that financial support not be required. The job of a PCP is really what you make of it! Are there training sessions to teach people how to lead the caucuses? Yes, the Jefferson County Democratic Party holds several training sessions that are very detailed. They are usually held in the weeks prior to caucus in the evenings, and any registered democrat can attend to assist in making sure caucus night is successful. We post these training session times and locations on our web site at www.jeffcodems.org. Am I eligible to participate in my precinct caucus? (examples) Please carefully read the following information regarding eligibility to participate in the caucus. I have lived in my home for several years and was an Independent but changed to Democrat – am I eligible? As long as you registered as a Democrat on or before January 6, 2012 at the Jefferson County Clerk’s Office you are fine! However, if you registered after that date you cannot participate but you can attend and observe the caucus. Rule: The voter must have registered affiliation at the Jeffco County Clerk’s office as a Democrat at least 2 months before caucus I have been a registered Democrat for years and I recently moved – can I attend caucus in my new precinct with my neighbors? This depends on when you moved and when you notified the Jeffco County Clerk’s office of your move. If you never changed your driver’s license or voter information, then the Jeffco Clerk’s office does not have a legal record of your new address and you need to contact the Jeffco Clerk’s office. You may need to get documentation from them of your correct address to bring to caucus to be eligible. As long as you did report your move to the Jeffco Clerk’s office, then: As long as you moved on or before February 6, 2012, your caucus location is based on your new address and you can go with your neighbors. You can participate fully and be elected as a Delegate or Alternate for a candidate or be elected as a Precinct Committee Person (PCP). However, if you moved into your new address after February 6, 2012, you are not eligible to attend caucus at your new address location but you can attend at your old address caucus location. You can attend caucus per your old address’ precinct and you can vote but you cannot be elected to any position because you no longer live in that precinct. If you choose to attend the caucus at your new precinct location, you may only participate as an observer. Rule: The voter must have registered with the Jeffco County Clerk’s office that they resided in that precinct for at least 30 days. Rule: If a voter moved away from the precinct in which they were registered after February 6, 2012, then they may vote in the old precinct but may not be elected to any position such as delegate, alternate, or precinct committee person. I just registered to vote for the first time and I declared as a Democrat. Can I attend caucus? If you just turned 18 after January 6, 2012 then as long as you register to vote before caucus with the Jeffco County Clerk AND resided in the precinct since at least February 6, 2012, then yes you can participate in the caucus and be elected as a delegate, alternate or precinct committee person. Rule: If a voter turned 18 after January 6, 2012 and registered to vote as a Democrat with the Jeffco County Clerk’s office before the caucus AND resided in the precinct for at least 30 days, then yes the voter can participate fully in the caucus (including being elected as a delegate, alternate, or precinct committee person). If you just became a naturalized citizen after January 6, 2012 then as long as you register to vote before caucus with the Jeffco County Clerk AND resided in the precinct since at least February 6, 2012, then yes you can participate in the caucus and be elected as a delegate, alternate or precinct committee person. Rule: If a voter became a naturalized citizen during the 2 months prior to caucus and registered to vote as a Democrat with the Jeffco County Clerk’s office before the caucus AND resided in the precinct for at least 30 days, then yes the voter can participate fully in the caucus even though the voter has been affiliated with the political party for less than two months (caucus participation includes being elected as a delegate, alternate, or precinct committee person). How will I find confirmation that I am a delegate or alternate to the county assembly? There are two steps for all delegates and alternates to the Jefferson County Assembly and Convention: A) At caucus, every delegate and alternate shall fill out an Acceptance Form/Call that will be in duplicate and the delegate/alternate shall take the top copy and the bottom copy shall be turned in with the official paperwork from caucus. B) The Jefferson County Democratic Party will post on our web site www.jeffcodems.org all delegate and alternate confirmations from the Official Caucus Reports as timely as possible after caucus. It is the responsibility of the delegates and alternates to ensure that their status is confirmed by their names listed on the Jeffco Dems web site after caucus. The two weeks immediately following caucus are busy at headquarters processing data and working all credentials and eligibility issues. The county party does everything possible to honor all voters and their participation in the democratic process. I want to register a challenge to something that happened at caucus that I thought was not correctly documented – how do I do this? You must file a protest in writing to the Jefferson County Democratic Party Chair within seven days following the caucus. The Chair can be reached by emailing This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or mailing to: Attn: Jeffco Chair – Credentials 8725 W. 14th Ave. Suite #130 Lakewood, CO 80215 (303) 237-1359 A Credentials Committee will review the protest and have a hearing prior to the assembly (or convention in presidential years). The Credentials Committee shall hear all interested parties. The committee may take any one or more of the following actions upon determination of a valid challenge: a) Deny certification of the challenged delegate b) Reallocate votes among unchallenged delegates c) Certify alternate delegates or delegations d) Certify an alternate delegation e) Allocate fractional votes f) Any other action which insures fair representation of those who chose the delegate Why does Colorado have a caucus presidential selection process? Why not a traditional primary voting process? It may surprise you to find out that caucuses have taken place in Colorado for years. They have always covered local business. On April 13th, 2004 the caucus first included the Presidential Preference. The reason the Presidential Preference Poll was included in caucus was due to the Colorado Legislature cutting costs in 2003. Colorado Senate Bill 188 (SB 03-188) eliminated the presidential primaries in February in Colorado. Colorado’s caucuses are not open caucuses. This means that Independents/Unaffiliated voters can NOT participate in the caucuses. They can attend, and non-registered voters and students can attend with parents to learn about the process. Only registered Democrats can participate in Colorado’s Democratic caucuses and only registered Republicans can participate in Colorado’s Republican caucuses. |
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