Getting Ready for Caucus

— Vickie Rock, HumboldtDems Chair

Caucus day is coming up soon:  Saturday, February 20, 2016 with doors opening at 10:00 AM and counts beginning at 11:00 AM. If you’ve never participated in a “caucus” before, you can learn more about the process HERE.

To facilitate holding caucuses across the county, I’ve been making phone calls attempting to find folks who would be willing to help us conduct their precinct’s Caucus as well as folks to check folks in and register those chose to do same-day registration.  Though I’ve made it through most of the list of Democrats for whom I phone numbers, there a quite a few folks around the county for whom I have no phone number.  I’m still calling precinct Democrats, but if you’re in Precincts 1 -6 and you haven’t gotten a call from me, I don’t have  your number and thus, couldn’t make that “ask.”  So, if you’d be willing to help out in your precinct, please call me instead at (775) 623-1029.

Here’s when training for those who will be helping to conduct the various precinct Caucus sessions will take place:

When:  Saturday, February 6, 2016 from Noon to 3 PM

Where:  RoundTable Pizza, 1043 W 4th St, Winnemucca, NV

For those who have agreed to help, please hold that date and time on your calendars.

Pre-Registering for Caucus —

Caucus Express is a new tool that allows caucus goers to save time and speed up the process of signing in on Caucus Day by pre-registering now online.  It’s a 3-step process that first asks for your email, your last name, date of birth and zip code, asks you to verify that the person they found in the DMV is you, and then lets you “pre-register.”  The application will then email your confirmation with your caucus location.

How the Caucus Express Works for you —

Users will receive their caucus location and updates about the caucus via email and can also enroll to receive text message alerts. When voters who have pre-registered arrive on Caucus Day, they will see a special phone number posted near the entrance line. When they text their unique code to that number from their mobile device, they can proceed to the express check-in lane.

What To Do If Your Information Doesn’t Match —

If the Caucus Express system cannot find any Democratic voter registrations that match your information, it may be because of a recent change in name or address. You also must be registered to vote as a Democrat in order to participate in the caucuses. Nevada Democrats allow same-day voter registration on Caucus Day, or you can register to vote or update your information now on the Nevada Secretary of State’s website.

Who Can Attend a Precinct Caucus?

• Precinct caucuses are open meetings. Anyone can attend and observe, but only registered Democrats (including 17 year olds who will be 18 by November 8, 2016 and register as Democrats) can participate.
• Young people who will NOT be 18 by November 8, 2016 are encouraged to attend as Youth Attenders. They can not participate in the caucus. They are there strictly to observe.

Who Can Participate?

• All participants must be Democrats registered to vote in their precinct. A list of registered Democrats will be available at the caucuses. If you are not on the list and are not registered to vote, you will be able to register as a Democrat at the caucus.
• If you’re currently registered as a Democrat in Humboldt County, but want to participate in the caucus, you can save yourself some time plus the hassle of same-day registration, by registering online at the NV Secretary of State’s website well before caucus day.
  • Register to Vote
  • Check Your Voter Registration
• Seventeen-year-olds, who will be 18 by the general election on November 8, 2016, will be allowed to fully participate. If they have not done so before caucus day, they will be required to fill out a voter registration card and register as a Democrat.
• Participants will be allowed to register to vote at their precinct caucus location. Republicans, nonpartisans and others will be able to change their registration to become a Democrat that day to enable their partication.
  • NOTE: Should a Republican change his/her registration to Democrat, s/he will NOT be able to participate in the Republican Caucus on Tuesday, February 23, 2016.  The Delegate selection plan subsection states: No person shall be allowed to participate in the Presidential Preference Poll at the Precinct Meeting who does not already appear as a registered Republican on the voter rolls for that precinct not less than ten (10) days prior to the day of the meeting. Same day registration is prohibited.

Does it cost anything to participate?
No.

Is there a way to vote early or cast an absentee vote?
No.

Caucus Locations: