Precinct Caucusing 101

On the first Saturday in March (March 3, 2012) the Republican Precinct Caucuses in Washington State will take place. This is the way our state participates in choosing the nominee of the Republican Party for President of the United States.

The Washington State Democrat Party is holding their Democrat Precinct Caucuses on Sunday, April 15, 2012; however, the Presidential Nomination for the Democrats is not being actively challenged and incumbent President Barack Obama will be the Democrat Party Presidential Nominee again in 2012.

Washington State used to also have a Presidential Primary Election. For Democrats that Primary Election meant nothing; our state’s Democrat National Convention delegates were chosen entirely from the Caucus system. Delegates to the Republican National Convention used to be chosen on a 50/50 system: 1/2 the state GOP's delegates were selected from the Caucus system and 1/2 were selected based on the results of that Presidential Primary Election; however, the Washington State Legislature finally ended (officially "suspended until 2016") this very expensive beauty pageant. Now the Caucus system is the only way delegates are selected to attend each party's National Convention (to nominate their party's nominee for President of the United States).

In order to participate in your precinct party caucus on March 3rd (or April 15th for the Democrats) you will need to be a registered voter, and know/find-out what Precinct you vote in. You can either look at your Voter Registration Card, or (if you vote in King County) look it up:

For voters in King County: http://your.kingcounty.gov/elections/voterlookup.aspx

For voters outside of King County you will need to either look at your Voter Registration Card or contact your County Auditor's Office: http://www.sos.wa.gov/elections/auditors.aspx

You then need to find out where your Precinct Caucus is being held:

For Republicans in King County: http://www.kcgop.org/caucus-locator/
For Republicans outside of King County: http://wsrpcaucus.tumblr.com/locations

For Democrats state-wide: http://www.wa-democrats.org/content/precinct-caucuses

The caucuses typically start at 10AM (and generally run about 2 hours long), and are usually held in someone's home or a publicly-accessible building. Once you arrive you may see signs directing you to your Precinct. There will likely be refreshments and perhaps snacks laid out for you. Donations of $1-2 per person are suggested to help defray the costs of these items, but don’t feel obligated to donate.

If your Precinct already has a Precinct Committee Officer (PCO) then this person will run your party precinct caucus. If no PCO is present then one participant in your Precinct Caucus will need to serve as Chairman for this meeting (only).

You will all then be asked to sign-in. The form you fill-out asks caucus participants to declare that they consider themselves Republicans (or Democrats) for purposes of nominating a candidate for President in 2012. This party affiliation means nothing for any future elections (including this state's regular Primary Election in August).

Once you have signed in and have determined who will run the caucus (your PCO or Caucus Chairman) you will all likely be asked to fill out a survey that will ask you to rank many politically-meaningful issues by importance (education, taxes, transportation, national security, et cetera). These surveys will get compiled to help establish what issues party members are most concerned with.

You will then likely be asked to declare what Presidential Candidate within the party you are supporting (you can declare any support for anyone affiliated with that party, whether or not they are a declared candidate for President or not; this is a non-binding Straw Poll, as was Iowa's Caucuses on January 3rd); all participants then have the opportunity to discuss the candidates, their policy positions, and can attempt to persuade other participants’ to change their choice of candidate.

Participants then elect delegates to their Legislative District Caucus. If there are more delegate seats available than there are participants (i.e. 4 delegates are allotted for your precinct but there are only 3 participants) then all precinct caucus participants are automatically eligible to be Legislative District Caucus delegates. PCOs automatically become delegates to their Legislative District Caucus.

At your Legislative District Caucus delegates are elected to your party’s County Convention, where State Convention delegates are elected, who then elect Republican or Democrat National Convention delegates where our state casts its votes for nomination of a candidate to run for President in the General Election.

At the end of your precinct party caucus participants are free to discuss anything else they wish to bring up (local transportation issues, foreign affairs, the city council, Presidential politics, et cetera).

That may be a lot of words, but participating in a precinct party caucus is very, very easy to do. I implore anyone who has educated themselves about any issues they find important to please participate in their caucus. I would also recommend to anyone who hasn’t looked into the issues yet (or isn't yet a registered voter) to please go to a precinct party caucus as an observer.

Here are a few more links:

Washington State Secretary of State Elections & Voting information on the 2012 Presidential Caucuses: http://www.sos.wa.gov/elections/2012PresidentialCaucuses.aspx

King County Elections information on the 2012 Presidential Caucuses: http://www.kingcounty.gov/elections/currentelections/201208/2012CaucusInformation.aspx

Washington State Republican Party's Presidential Caucus website (including a caucus overview and Frequently Asked Questions): http://wsrpcaucus.tumblr.com/

Washington State Democrat Party Caucus information: http://www.wa-democrats.org/content/precinct-caucuses

Washington State Republican Party Election Year 2012 Caucus & Convention Manual: http://youra.net/images/gop/2012caucusmanual.pdf

Washington State Democrat Party Delegate Selection Plan for 2012: http://www.wa-democrats.org/vfmfiles/PDFs/2012%20DSAAP%20-%20Washington%20State.pdf

'How the Republicans' system will work' article written by former Washington State Republican Party Chairman Chris Vance: http://crosscut.com/2011/09/27/elections/21340/New-rules-could-mean-a-long%2C-dramatic-battle-for-the-GOP-presidential-nominee/one_page/

Please: get educated about whatever issues interest you, and make your voice heard! (And encourage your neighbors to go with you.)

I would be happy to answer any questions anyone regarding any of this (based on my own experiences at caucuses).

Happy Caucusing,
Attila the Right

Kirby to the Rescue

Kirby Wilbur is running for Washington State Republican Party Chair against incumbent (former State Senator) Luke Esser!

There's an excellent piece on Red State (and Red County) by Byran Myrick on what the heck (didn't) happen in this state on November 2nd. I highly recommend digesting it (read it here).

I was composing the following response before I read that Kirby will be challenging Luke Esser:

Okay. Luke Esser as judged by the results has in fact been a very polite, well spoken failure. Who then should take the helm of the rudderless Washington State Republican Party?

The Evans-Gorton-Munro-Reed club will produce more Democrat-Lite leaders and candidates. The Clint Didier-esque Tea Party'ite wing will likely produce angry leaders that turn off much of the Snohomish-King-Pierce County Squishy Centrists that determine statewide elections year-after-year.

Successful candidates like Rob McKenna, and up-and-comers like Reagan Dunn wisely take their political careers seriously and don't want to get stuck in the weeds-and-mud of the mechanics of running a state party.

So who does that leave to displace Luke Esser? Even former political staffers like Kellie Daniels have become successful political consultants who likely wouldn't want the tiny income or election return hits that leading the state party would likely bring them..

What about the likes of oft-written Eric Earling? Or other former/current DC staffers like Liz Fortunato (Gorton & Hastings), Travis Sines (Dunn), Chris Strow (Metcalf & State House), or Mariana Parks (Reichert)? At least those names have seen Republicans win in this state!

I am onboard with ousting Luke Esser based on results, but then what?

Then I read the news (again by Bryan Myrick): "Radio Talk Host Kirby Wilbur Announces Challenge for State GOP Chair"

I am SO very excited that somebody who has been part of the grassroots conservative underground of this state (and King County!) wants to head the party that SHOULD be courting not only Republicans, but fiscally conservative Independents (the Squishy Centrists) and the all important Scoop Jackson Democrats (especially those behind the Snohomish-King-Pierce Blue Curtain of the People's Republic of Seattle).

I just want to thank Kirby Wilbur for stepping up and offering to unseat the really nice, polite, funny, well spoken failure of a party head that the Republicans now have in the State of Washington.

Isn't it a better day knowing that there's some hope for the party of Ronald Reagan in this state?

I-1053: Yes *Again* to 2/3 Majority for Taxes

Following I-601, R-49, and I-960, the people will again pass a 2/3 majority requirement for the legislature (or by a simple majority refer for a vote of the people) to raise any taxes.

Initiative 1053 will again constrain the Washington State Legislature, for at least 2 years, from simply raising taxes yet again whenever they believe that they yet again don't have enough of our money.

This initiative wouldn't be necessary if the state legislature would stop thwarting the thrice-expressed will of the people to stop using their ever increasing apatite for the voters' money to fund their ever-expanding state budgets; however, it is abundantly clear that this legislature's leadership has a high degree of contempt for the simpleton knuckle-dragging voters in this state (who managed to elect the very same politicians in question) when it comes to the voters' own pocketbooks.

If state politicians had any chutzpah they'd propose a state constitutional amendment to solidify the 2/3 majority (or Referendum) rule. Unfortunately very few in Olympia want to recognize that the people, not the politicians, are supposed to hold the power in this state.

Initiative 1053 may be repetitive, but sometimes it takes repetition for children (or politicians) to get the message.

I've enthusiastically voted Yes on I-1053.

November Ballot

As with the last Primary Election I'll show my ballot picks for this General Election first, then break out each office (as time allows).

My Ballot picks on the issues:

Initiative 1053 (Re-instituting Super-Majority for tax increases): Yes

Initiative 1082 (Partial privatization of Workers Comp insurance): Yes

Initiative 1098 (Establishing a State Income Tax): No (is HELL NO! an option?)

Initiative 1100 (Privatization of liquor sales): Yes

Initiative 1105 (Privatization of liquor sales with state-controlled prices): No

Initiative 1107 (Repeal candy and some grocery taxes): Yes

Referendum 52 (New bonds for public buildings energy efficiency): Rejected

State Constitution Amendment SJR 8225 (Change public debt limits): Rejected

State Constitution Amendment HJR 4220 (Authority to deny bail for some charges): Approved

King County Charter Amendment 1 (Preamble Change): No

King County Charter Amendment 2 (End duplicate reporting requirement): Yes

King County Charter Amendment 3 (Collective Bargaining authority to Sheriff): Yes

King County Proposition 1 (Sales Tax increase): Rejected

My Ballot picks on the people:

United States Senator: Dino Rossi (R)

U.S. Representative (Congressional District 8): (write-in) Reagan Dunn (R)

State Legislative District 41, Senator: Steve Litzow (R)

State Legislative District 41, Representative Position 1: Peter Dunbar (R)

State Legislative District 41, Representative Position 2: Stephen Strader (R)

King County Prosecuting Attorney: (write-in) Bill Sherman (D)

State Supreme Court, Position 1: Jim Johnson

State Supreme Court, Position 5: (write-in) Mark Sidran

State Supreme Court, Position 6: Richard Sanders

State Court of Appeals, Division 1, District 1, Position 1: (write-in) John Groen

State Court of Appeals, Division 1, District 1, Position 2: (write-in) Stephen L. Johnson

King County District Court, Southeast, Judge Position 2: Darrell Phillipson

King County District Court, Southeast, Judge Position 6: David Tracy

and if I were in the 9th Congressional District:

U.S. Representative (Congressional District 9): Dick Muri (R)

and if I were in the 47th Legislative District:

State Legislative District 47, Senator: Joe Fain (R)

State Legislative District 47, Representative Position 1: Mark Hargrove (R)

State Legislative District 47, Representative Position 2: Rodrigo Yanez (R)

and if I were still in the 11th Legislative District:

State Legislative District 11, Representative Position 1: Sarah Sanoy-Wright (No Party)

State Legislative District 11, Representative Position 2: John Potter (R)

Specific races to follow...

Supreme Court Position 1: Jim Johnson

As I wrote earlier I have voted for Justice Jim Johnson in the race for State Supreme Court Justice Position Number 1.

This race is to re-elect Justice Jim Johnson to a second term on the state's highest court or replace him with workers-comp attorney Stan Rumbaugh.

As the incumbent justice has received virtually every newspaper endorsement in the state the challenger is making this race about the fact that Stan Rumbaugh is pro-abortion and would have voted to throw-out this state's Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) whereas the incumbent justice voted in the majority to uphold the law.

As I actually agree with almost all of the the big-case opinions that Justice Jim Johnson has written I see no reason to unseat him with a candidate that has almost zero expierence at all in appelate courts who is being heralded as the candidate that would legislate from the bench.

I've voted to keep state Justice Jim Johnson on the bench.

U.S. House 8th District: Tim Dillon

I've already ranted about how much I can't stand incumbent U.S. Representative Dave Reichert (read it here). As I already stated I voted for Republican challenger Tim Dillon.

While I fully realize that The Sheriff will in all likelihood make it to the General Election (along with Democrat challenger Suzan DelBene) I will never ever again cast my lot for the supposedly conservative useful idiot Dave Reichert. If that means a Pelosi-drone Darcy Burner-clone sits in Rod Chandler & Jennifer Dunn's seat for 2 years then so be it. At least then an actual conservative can make a good run at the seat.

As Tim Dillon probably won't make it to the General Election I will likely be writing-in Reagan Dunn's name on my November ballot.

Senate Race: Dino Rossi

As I wrote earlier I have voted for Dino Rossi in the U.S. Senate race.

This race really boils down to either re-electing Senator Patty Murray for a 4th term or not. As Senator Murray is No Rocket Scientist, chairs no full committees in the U.S. Senate despite being the 21st senior Democrat in the Senate (19th not counting Specter or Lieberman) - where 3 more junior senators already run standing committees, or replacing her with someone (anyone) else.

Despite the fact that she previously lead the DSCC (odd since she's not from New York or New Jersey) into debt, is the Secretary of the Democratic Senate Conference (where the Vice-Chair position was created to bump the Secretary's leadership ranking down a peg), and sits on the Appropriations (chairing the Transporation Subcommittee), Budget, and Rules Committees she doesn't seem to wield a lot of clout in the Senate.

So the alternative to Patty Murray this year would seem to be either 2-time state Gubernatorial candidate (who really did win the 2004 election) and former State Senator Dino Rossi, farmer and former Washington Redskins Tight End great Clint Didier, or Bellingham entrepreneur Paul Akers.

Rossi certainly has the polling numbers to show he can make this race a tight one, but at one point so did Didier. While I actually liked Akers prior to Rossi jumping into the race (pretty late into the campaign season as his critics will cry to anyone who will listen) Akers not only just doesn't poll anywhere near the big three (Murray, Rossi, and Didier) he also joined Didier in doing the dumbest thing I think I've ever seen in a U.S. Senate campaign season - Akers and Didier joining together to run a joint campaign for a single political office.

Didier, the early Palin-endorsed (who now can't seem to find any time to show up for him) candidate just sounds too damn angry all the time for me. The fact that Ron Paul has endorsed him also doesn't bolster his stock with me.

So I prefer the not-Murray candidate who has a track record of winning support and votes from the muddled-middle that in so many elections really seem to decide who wins.

I've put my vote and my money on Dino Rossi.

August Primary

As with the last General Election I'll show my ballot picks for this Primary Election first, then break out each office (as time allows).

My Ballot picks:

United States Senator: Dino Rossi (R)

U.S. Representative (Congressional District 8): Tim Dillon (R)

State Legislative District 11, Representative Position 1: Sarah Sanoy-Wright (No Party)

State Legislative District 11, Representative Position 2: Jackie Moore (No Party)

King County Prosecuting Attorney: (write-in) Lana Weinmann (R)

State Supreme Court, Position 1: Jim Johnson

State Supreme Court, Position 5: (write-in) Terry Lukens

State Supreme Court, Position 6: Bryan Chushcoff

State Court of Appeals, Division 1, District 1, Position 1: (write-in) Stephen L. Johnson

State Court of Appeals, Division 1, District 1, Position 2: (write-in) John Groen

And if I were in the 9th Congressional District:

U.S. Representative (Congressional District 9): Dick Muri (R)

And if I were in the 47th Legislative District:

State Legislative District 47, Senator: Joe Fain (R)

State Legislative District 47, Representative Position 1: Nancy Wyatt (R)

State Legislative District 47, Representative Position 2: Mark Hargrove (R)

Specific races to follow...