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How does the political process work?

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Precinct Caucus and District Meeting Locations

 

 

Don’t like the candidates that the Republican Party puts forward for general election? Think that the party is missing the boat on the platform it puts forward? Frustrated that the party is too conservative or not conservative enough? Wonder how all these things come to be and, more importantly, WHO are these “people” that put candidates and issues into play? Well wonder no more! The answer is simple – it all starts at the grass roots – with people who care enough to be involved in the process.

 

The list below outlines the steps that both major political parties go through in the process of naming candidates and determining what their “platform” will be. As you can see, it all starts with registering to vote and declaring a party. If you don’t register and get involved, you are giving the right to select candidates and to influence platform issues to someone else – someone who might not share your views. In fact, unaffiliated voters come into play only during the very last step – county, state and national elections. They get to vote only on the candidates that voters who have declared with a party have selected for them throughout the process! They have missed out on the “grass roots” part of the process where all the real decisions are made, and only get to vote on the “results” of both parties.

 

• Register to Vote
• Declare a Political Party
• Precinct Caucus
• District Meeting
• County Assembly
• Congressional Distict Assembly
• State Convention
• Vote in the Primary
• National Convention
• Vote in the County, State, and National Elections

 

In the Republican Party, all things begin at the grass roots level. Any registered voter is eligible to join the Republican Party. All of these registered Republican voters are eligible to attend their Republican Precinct Caucus which is held in even-numbered years at a private or public place, in or close to the precinct, as determined by the County Central Committee and posted in accordance with state law.

 

In order to vote at any caucus, assembly or convention of a political party, the elector shall:

 

• Have registered to vote no later than 29 days before
• Have been a resident of precinct for 30 days prior to caucus
• Have been affiliated with the political party holding the caucus for at least 2 months prior to caucus. Exception: If the voter attained 18 years of age or was naturalized during the 2 months immediately proceeding the caucus, he/she can still participate. A voter who moves from the precinct where registered during the 29 days prior to any caucus shall become ineligible to serve as a delegate from that precinct.

 

Precinct Caucus

A precinct is the smallest political geographic area – an election district with fixed boundaries. The Weld County Clerk and Recorder’s office determine precincts, which are usually comprised of around 1,500 people. Weld County currently has 113 precincts. The Precinct Caucus is truly neighbors belonging to the same people having a meeting (caucus) to discuss candidates and policies, and is run by elected Precinct Committee People.

 

The Precinct Caucuses are the fundamental, and in many ways the most powerful, organizations within the Republican Party. They are truly the gateway to the Republican Party. Voters who attend the Precinct Caucus do the following:

 

• Discuss candidates who want to run for office, and vote in straw polls being conducted.
• Propose resolutions about what the party should stand for. These resolutions go forward where they are voted on at the County, State, and National Republican Convention assemblies.
• Ultimately, these resolutions become the “planks” of the Republican Party Platform!
• Elect two precinct committee people.
• Elect delegates for the district meeting and the Weld County Republican Convention/Assembly. It is from this pool of delegates that delegates to the U.S. Congressional, State, or National Republican Conventions/Assemblies are determined.

 

District Meeting

 

The precincts that the Clerk and Recorder determine are grouped together into the next larger political geographic unit, called a District. Districts are determined by the Weld County Republican Party By-Laws rather than by the county as was the case of the precinct determination. In Weld County, the 113 precincts are grouped into 12 Districts which are named alphabetically from A through L. Each district has a District Captain who is elected at the Weld County Republican Central Committee Meeting.

 

District meetings are held on the same day and time in each district and are run in each district by the District Captain. Only the elected delegates from the precincts may vote. At the District meeting you elect all of the delegates and alternates allotted to the district for the:

 

• State Assembly
• Fourth U.S. Congressional District Assembly
• County Assembly

 

The next step in the process is the County Assembly. Delegates and/or Alternates elected during the District Assemblies become the voting members of this body. County Assembly is held at a time and place determined by the County Central Committee. State senatorial or house districts that lie wholly within the county usually hold their assemblies in conjunction with County Assembly.

 

The precinct delegates (or alternates in the absence of delegates) vote on candidates and party business. At this meeting:

 

• Nominations for candidates for county office are made and the delegates then vote on them.
  All candidates who receive 30% of the vote at this assembly will be placed on the primary ballot. If only one candidate receives 30% of the vote at the assembly, only one candidate will go forward. Unsuccessful candidates in this process have the option to pursue being placed on the primary ballot by obtaining signatures on a petition. If there is ultimately only one person who qualifies through either the assembly or petition process, then that person is placed on the ballot for the general election. If there are two or more candidates who qualify through the assembly or petition process, then those names are placed on a primary ballot. The candidate who is placed on the ballot for the general election is then determined by the Registered Republicans who vote in the primary election.
• Prior to this assembly, a committee of people appointed by the Chairman of the Weld County Party will meet to review and consolidate all of the resolutions obtained during the precinct process. These resolutions will then be debated, amended as needed, and voted upon by the delegates. Those receiving a majority vote of the delegates will be forwarded to the State Party for use in determining State Party Resolutions.

 

Congressional District Assembly

District Assembly refers to Congressional Districts. Delegates and/or Alternates elected during the District Assemblies become the voting members of this body. In Weld County, the majority of our residents reside in the 4th Congressional District. A small slice of the southern portion of the county is in the 2nd Congressional District. Therefore, delegates elected at the District Meetings will participate in one or the other of these assemblies, depending on location. At this meeting:

 

• Nominations for candidates for the Congressional office are made and the delegates then vote on them. All candidates who receive 30% of the vote at this assembly will be placed on the primary ballot. If only one candidate receives 30% of the vote at the assembly, only one candidate will go forward. Unsuccessful candidates in this process have the option to pursue being placed on the primary ballot by obtaining signatures on a petition. If there is ultimately only one person who qualifies through either the assembly or petition process, then that person is placed on the ballot for the general election. If there are two or more candidates who qualify through the assembly or petition process, then those names are placed on a primary ballot. The candidate who is placed on the ballot for the general election is then determined by the Registered Republicans who vote in the primary election.
• Delegates for National Convention representing the district are nominated and voted upon.

 

State Convention

 

The State Assembly is often referred to as the State Convention. Delegates and/or Alternates elected during the District Assemblies become the voting members of this body. At this meeting:

 

• Nominations for candidates for the state and national offices are made and the delegates then vote on them. All candidates who receive 30% of the vote at this assembly will be placed on the primary ballot. If only one candidate receives 30% of the vote at the assembly, only one candidate will go forward. Unsuccessful candidates in this process have the option to pursue being placed on the primary ballot by obtaining signatures on a petition. If there is ultimately only one person who qualifies through either the assembly or petition process, then that person is placed on the ballot for the general election. If there are two or more candidates who qualify through the assembly or petition process, then those names are placed on a primary ballot. The candidate who is placed on the ballot for the general election is then determined by the Registered Republicans who vote in the primary election.
• Prior to this assembly, a committee of people appointed by the Chairman of the State Party will meet to review and consolidate all of the resolutions obtained during the County Assembly process. These resolutions will then be debated, amended as needed, and voted upon by the delegates. Those receiving a majority vote of the delegates will be forwarded to the National Party for use in determining the National Party Platform.
• Delegates for National Convention representing the state are nominated and voted upon.
• Nominations are made and voted upon for National Committee Person. These are seats on the National Republican Committee representing the interests of Colorado.

 

National Convention

 

The National Assembly is often referred to as the National Convention. Delegates and/or Alternates elected during the Congressional District and State Assemblies become the voting members of this body. At this meeting:

 

• Nominations for candidates for President of the United States are made and the delegates then vote on them. Unlike the other assemblies, this body continues to ballot until one candidate is selected who will represent the party as the Republican Candidate for President.
• Prior to this assembly, a committee of people appointed by the Chairman of the National Party will meet to review and consolidate all of the resolutions obtained during the State Assembly process. These resolutions will then be debated, amended as needed, and voted upon by the delegates. Those receiving a majority vote of the delegates will become planks in the Republican Party Platform.

 

Clearly, there are many opportunities to influence who our candidates will be and what issues we will focus on besides just showing up to vote on Election Day. The choice to become involved and at what level is entirely up to you!