2/14/08

Caucuses see record turnout

by Jo Martin

More than 200,000 voters around the state attended the Democratic and Republican caucuses on Saturday, February 9, with nearly 5,000 of those from Snohomish County. Barack Obama claimed a clear victory in the Democratic race, with more than 60 percent of the vote, while the Republican contest was much closer. John McCain was declared the caucus winner by the Republican party but Mike Huckabee is contesting that decision.

Everett’s Civic Auditorium, the location for the 38th Legislative District Democrats, seats 1,500 on two levels. Placards taped to chair arms indicated areas for each precinct to gather and caucus-goers began to crowd into the rows of seats. It quickly became clear that even the cavernous auditorium was not big enough to accommodate all the precinct members who were anxious to have their voices heard.

With loud-speaker urging from party leaders, some precincts were sent up to the high school cafeteria, some into halls and foyers, others went out on the sidewalk.

Despite the noise, crowding and lack of direction, somehow the process worked. Our group of 28 made preliminary candidate selections, listened to passionate remarks from our neighbors, then voted again. Once the results were known, delegates and alternates were elected to represent the candidates at the next level.

On February 19 the state will hold a presidential primary election. Delegates for the Republican candidates are determined by results of the caucus and the election, but for the Democrats the February 19 vote doesn’t affect the delegate count.