My Caucus Experience:

When I told my friends I was “going to caucus” on Tuesday I assumed everyone would clap their hands and pat me on the back.  Instead of adulation, my statement was met with confusion and curiosity. They asked me “What is a caucus?” or “How does it work?” Sadly, I didn’t know the answer.  It’s only after participating in my first caucus that I can fully explain the process and importance of it.

My coworker, Nathan, and I traveled to Colorado for "Super Tuesday" and to learn about and vote in the Colorado Democratic Caucus (only I voted, Nathan is not registered in Colorado).  While we were there we spent time volunteering with the Colorado Democratic Party (CDP), by answering phones and filling in wherever needed at the party headquarters.  Needless to say, I was stumped when a caller posed the difficult question of “What is a caucus”.  After asking around, I was told that a caucus is most easily described as a “community meeting where members of the party gather to coordinate actions, choose group policy, or nominate candidates for various offices.”  This short definition was sufficient enough to get me through the following 5 hours of non-stop phone inquiries.  However, I was still confused about HOW the caucus worked.

Early that evening we packed up and left the CDP headquarters for the caucus venue, I had offered to help prepare for the meeting.  There was already a group of people gathering in the cafeteria when we arrived and the unanticipated crowd made set up slightly hectic.  Eventually, Nathan decided to prop his laptop up in a corner to help people find their precinct and I was handed a packet to start signing people into my precinct caucus.  Later I realized that by taking the packet I had volunteered myself to lead the caucus.  Leading a group of 78 people was challenging and nerve racking.  I was constantly worried that I would do something wrong or say something inappropriate.  I prayed that my math skills were adequate enough to figure out the different formulas used to find percentages and delegate numbers.  As the night proceeded it was interesting to hear what people had to say about the candidates.  Everything went smoothly, a straw poll was taken, then the actual vote, and finally people were elected as delegates to the county convention.  A majority of the attendees left after the presidential vote but a small group of stuck around to vote on party policy and committee members.  I still had to fill out the paperwork once everyone left, luckily an old friend offered to stay and help.  I am so thankful that he did otherwise I would have been there all night.  After all of the chairs were put away and the papers turned in, Nathan and I went back to the house to watch the election returns come in…

As I look back on my caucus experience I finally understand the importance of participating in the process.  A caucus is not just a community meeting where supporters vote on candidates and party issues, it’s politics at the grassroots level. By taking part in the caucus a person can voice their opinions and concerns that otherwise might not be heard.  Everything starts at the precinct level.  The things decided in the precinct caucus will be voted on at the county convention and then the state convention; eventually giving us the presidential nominee, candidates for congress and state legislature, the state party platform, and state committee members.
My first caucus experience was a hectic, chaotic, nerve racking, all around exciting day.  But ‘Super Tuesday’ was just the beginning of the process now things will really get interesting.

Alexis Perlmutter
Grassroots Democrats