This year is a Presidential Election year and the Primary season will probably have begun by the time you read this. In our state the first votes are cast Saturday, March 26, at the Washington State Democratic Precinct Caucuses. If you want your favored candidate to be on the November ballot, you must attend (with a few exceptions*) in the caucus in the neighborhood where you are registered to vote.
The Democratic Party nominee for President (for which Bernie Sanders is running) is decided through the caucus process, that includes a state convention. It is not decided through our State Presidential Primary election. The precinct caucus is the only time, as average citizens, that we can cast a ‘vote’ that counts because, oddly enough, votes cast in the Presidential Primary in Washington State (May 24) are not even considered in the state’s selection of our Democratic nominee for President. So, put March 26 on your calendar now, and be there by 10 am because the doors shut and the voting begins at 10:30 am.
If you are not registered to vote, you can do so and participate in your caucus on the same day. And if you will turn 18-years-old by November 8, 2016, you also will be allowed to participate and vote at the caucus.
If you cannot attend your caucus because of illness, military, employment, disability, or religious reason, you can file a “surrogate affidavit by Friday, March 18.
Those forms will be available to download at www.wa-dems.org later this winter, as will the locations for caucuses by precinct.
A county map of precincts can be at the County Auditor’s website at www.co.thurston.wa.us/auditor
Thurstondemocrats.org also has individual precinct maps by number. Click PCOs/current
There is also a tutorial on the caucus process and precinct ID at www.bernadvisory.org. (This is much clearer and more user friendly and is associated with Bernie’s campaign.)
Provided by Sandia Slaby, a local eldercare provider and activist in Olympia. For info on precinct organizing, you may contact Sandia at sandia@fertileground.org