Nebraska Democratic Party: LJS and OWH: Nebraska Democratic Caucus a Success

LJS and OWH: Nebraska Democratic Caucus a Success

Feb 10, 08:44 PM CST

I know there’s little doubt in most people’s mind that what Nebraska Democrats did yesterday was a historic success, but it’s certainly nice to read it in the newspaper.

Says Don Walton:

At first blush, the caucus experiment appeared to be an enormous success for the state party, overwhelming urban caucus sites with committed voters and attracting thousands of newly registered Democrats…

“This will build our party,” (State Chairman Steve) Achelpohl said.

“This has been the most exciting day for Democrats in Nebraska that I can remember. We registered 4,000 new Democratic voters in Douglas County alone.”

Surveying the crowds that overflowed precinct meeting rooms at Lincoln High School, Mayor Chris Beutler said the turnout and enthusiasm has “just been overwhelming.”

And Robynn Tysver:

Despite the logistical nightmares and the overflowing school gymnasiums Saturday, the state Democratic Party’s first-ever caucuses were hailed by party officials and others as a crowning success…

...attendance at the Nebraska Democratic caucuses surpassed the attendance at the Kansas Democratic caucuses, held on Super Tuesday. About 37,000 people participated in Kansas’ caucus – 1,000 less than participated in Nebraska’s caucuses – despite the fact that Kansas has 60,000 more registered Democrats than Nebraska…

The caucuses also brought home Democrats who left in 2004 to cast a ballot in the GOP governor’s battle between Tom Osborne and Dave Heineman. More than 7,000 people filled out new registration forms Saturday, including 4,000 in Douglas County and 1,500 in Lancaster County.

It may take us awhile to tally all the new Democrats we gained and all the new volunteers and activists we engaged. But even without those numbers, we can be –– and should be –– proud of what we did together.

Thanks to everyone who made yesterday such a rousing success.

– by Eric Van Horn | Send this to a friend

The most important lesson learned from this caucus, I believe, is that only hard work can achieve the kind of results we got. Sitting back and doing the easy thing – just going to the balloting place and marking in a few boxes – just mailing a few flyers or calling our rich friends begging for cash – just letting the leaders at the top run the show without each of us doing our share – leads to the kind of stagnation our party has experienced for years.

The caucus proved that there are thousands of Nebraska Democrats ready to fuel a grassroots powered machine. It is time for CHANGE indeed. Now that we’ve seen that it is possible to turn this behemoth around, let’s get it on the right course, one that respects the power of the people – one that moves the party in a direction as willed by all of Nebraska’s Democrats, not just a few – one where the power is derived from the hard work and sweat of the common man, not dependent just on the big bucks of the big donors.

And God help us to choose leaders that respect the will of Nebraska’s Democrats rather than those that make arbitrary decisions that ignore the rules that are supposed to guide us.
— Brian T. Osborn Feb 11, 02:33 AM CST #
Brian, I respectfully disagree, the caucuses did not represent the will of all Nebraska Democrats. The upscale and younger Democratic voters had their voices heard. The people that could not make it to the caucuses were not given an opportunity to send in preference cards, facilities were not capable of handling handicapped voter, childcare was not provided for those that could not find or afford babysitters, the lines and wait was too long for the elderly …
Posters keep telling the people that couldn’t attend the caucuses that they have their chance to vote at the primary in May but do not tell them that the May primary does not count when it comes to the Presidential candidates.
How does Saturday’s caucus represent the will of all Nebraskan Democrats?
— Blu Feb 11, 06:17 AM CST #
The Saturday caucus was the representation of those willing to get off their dead asses and DO something. They are going to be the ones that will make this party get off its knuckles, stand upright, and evolve.

I didn’t state that the caucus spoke for ALL of Nebraska’s Democrats. I am sorry for those who would like to have participated but couldn’t. But many of those who could have, and chose not to, are probably those that won’t vote in a primary or general election either.

The future of the NDP depends on those who care. It depends on those who will do the necessary work. The caucus showed us that there are a lot more of them out there than we could ever have imagined. The caucus gave them a reason to come out of the woodwork. As we keep them active they will help their friends, neighbors, and family to express their voices ever more loudly.

Every caucus attendee that we can keep fired up will probably bring an extra one along the next time. THAT is how you make the party grow. I didn’t claim that the voice of ALL the people was heard in this caucus, just that those who did attend were proudly raising theirs – and they were legion. They are the ones that will make our party strong.

We’ll do even better next time, knowing what we know now.
— Brian T. Osborn Feb 11, 12:03 PM CST #
I’m concerned that by the time November rolls around all these kids that came out to support Obama will have found a new idol to worship and Obama will be just a distant memory.
The Clinton supports that have been disenfranchised in the caucuses might also stay home come November.
— Blu Feb 11, 12:22 PM CST #
Well Blu, that just means you’re going to have to get off your duff and do what you can to KEEP them energized and focused. Otherwise you are just a concern troll.
— Brian T. Osborn Feb 11, 12:34 PM CST #
Oh, and Blu . . . so will I.
— Brian T. Osborn Feb 11, 12:41 PM CST #
Ultimately, Democrats in Nebraska have to draw on new voters of the type that got out to caucus for Obama if they want to turn the tide. To be fair, many of the voters who turn out every election without fail were unable to participate in the caucuses. But come May and November, they’ll be there anyway because of their strong desire to do their civic duty. By bringing in a new group of young voters, the Obama campaign has given Democratic parties in red states like Nebraska the opportunity to break the Republican stranglehold. Hillary Clinton, like so many prototypical Democratic candidates before her, does not afford that same opportunity nationwide.
— Trevor Fitzgerald Feb 11, 12:43 PM CST #
Brian, What I am is a slightly past middle aged gay woman with a partner that is disabled. What I saw at the caucuses were young RaRa Obama fans jumping up and down on the chairs while those who needed a seat were left standing in the back of the crowded rooms. I will not be kicked out of this party by you or anyone else and I will have my voice heard.
— Blu Feb 11, 12:46 PM CST #
I was at the Sarpy Co. caucus, and, thought things were crazy and disordered at times, we had several disabled caucus-goers. We even had a nice lady in a wheelchair who worked the registration booth.
— James Feb 11, 01:20 PM CST #
Blu,
I think you are misunderstanding what it is that I am trying to say here. I am certainly not trying to kick you out of the party. On the contrary. I am hoping that you will do all you can to bring in, and keep in, ever more Democrats, be they slightly past middle aged, disabled gays – tattooed, pincushioned teens – soccer moms – old hippies – union laborers – business owners – retirees – farmers – you name it.

Had you come to my caucus, in Phelps County (that’s way out in the boonies for you folks out east) you would have seen a few younger folks, but a lot of older JFK Democrats and a few FDR Liberals as well. We were in a handicapped accessible location and no one stood on the chairs. I was the only one doing any shouting because I am the County Chair and was leading the event without a PA system. We had 124 folks in attendance.

Your voice is being heard right now, and I, for one, am glad of it. Keep it up!
— Brian T. Osborn Feb 11, 01:45 PM CST #
At Ralston Middle School in LD 12, volunteers went out of their way to make sure elderly and disabled caucus-goers didn’t have to wait in long lines and brought them up front. In addition, we worked to make sure that there were enough bleachers in the gym for those who needed to sit and that those who needed to sit got a seat. When plans are being made for the 2012 caucuses, ample seating for those voters should be a clear consideration in site location decisions.
— Trevor Fitzgerald Feb 11, 01:48 PM CST #
At lincoln High in Lincoln things were run well… no one except the volunteers stood on chairs, and only then to shout instructions to the crowd. People that needed chairs were helped to them.
I did not notice the handicap access, but there were voters there on crutches and with canes, and they seemed to make it in ok.

I know the lines were long in some places Blu, but that was due to the bigger turn out, and something that is expected at a Caucus.

Especially the first one.

Perhaps it will get better from here on out, we all hope so.
— Paul McFarland Feb 11, 02:51 PM CST #
As someone who’s been fighting against this misguided and ill-informed idea that young people don’t vote for the past few years, let me tell you: we’re not going anywhere.

Get used to us, Blu, we’re going to be around for a long, long time.
— Dave Sund Feb 11, 03:03 PM CST #
Young voters have a say, too. Considering we are the ones who will have to deal with the worst of the impacts of this administration and future administrations if we don’t organize and make changes. Terribly sorry if I was too loud and vocal at my caucus, but I refuse to sit idle and not allow my voice to be heard.

Seconded, Dave.
— tim Feb 11, 03:44 PM CST #
The CAUCAS has to go! I was at my first one in the SW. First off it seemed the Obama people were the only ones who knew
what was going on,much better prepaired,party line or coincidence. I thought this a straw poll not the real vote for the canidate who would run for the PRESIDENT of the U.S.A. picked by Nebraskans. Thats why we have the primary. Not all the people can take that much time out of 1 day, 1 designated time to participate in a caucus. Yes, they could have mailed in a vote but who knew? I think of the thousands of people whose vote that won’t count!It makes me very sad, account so few of us are here to begin with. I have had people say to me today, if they don’t want my vote, they don’t want ME!! Is this what we (dem.party)really want?Can we afford that with so few Dems.in Ne..I THINK NOT!!Taking the right of a secret VOTE out of the voters hands is not the right thing to do.
— Dave Haller Feb 11, 07:06 PM CST #
The CAUCAS has to go!! I was at my first one in the SW. First off it seemed the Obama people were the only ones who knew what was going on, much better prepared, party line or coincidence. I thought this was a straw poll not the real vote for the candidate who woulg run for the PRESIDENT of the U.S.A. picked by Nebraskans. That’s why we have the primary. Not all the people can take that much time out of 1 day, 1 designated time to participate in a caucus. Yes, they could have mailed in a vote, but who knew? I thing of the thousands of people whose vote that won’t count! It makes me very sad, account so few of us are here to begine with. I have had people say to me today!! Is this what we (dem. party) really wand? Can we afford that with so few Dems in NE..I THINK NOT!! Taking the right of a secret VOTE out of the voters hand is not the right thing to do.The Caucus puts to much power in the hands of the Party and takes the power out of the VOTER!Dave from McCook
— Dave Haller Feb 11, 07:36 PM CST #
From the blog entries, it seems that most of those complaining about disenfranchisement are those whose candidate didn’t win. From my experience, the caucus was loud, chaotic, disorderly at times, but it was also a glorious expression of democracy in action. Nebraskans finally had a voice in picking the nominee, and their voice was loud and clear. Long live the caucus!!! As long as the super-delegates don’t steal it from them.
— James Feb 12, 05:06 AM CST #
As an absentee voter, I just wanted to thank all of you wonderfully successful caucus goers for depriving me of my consitutional right to participate.
— Pat Hourigan Feb 12, 11:49 AM CST #
very unfair . Nebraska City was not allowed to causas
— sadie Feb 12, 01:37 PM CST #
The Republicans in our Unicameral would not agree to move the Primary Election forward from the usual May time slot. The only way left for the NDP to make at least SOME people’s votes count was to hold a caucus. By May both parties would already have their candidates selected and anyone’s votes would have zero value.

Was the caucus system 100% fair? No.

Was it well planned in every location? No.

Was it the best we could do under the circumstances? Yes.

I am sorry for those who feel like they were left out of the process, but to do it in a 100% fair way couldn’t be done. I would propose that if they have a 100% fair plan, they share it with us then lobby our Legislature to adopt their 100% fair plan.
— Brian T. Osborn Feb 12, 03:34 PM CST #
Sadie, the people you should be upset about regarding the lack of a caucus location in Nebraska City is your local county party. Otoe County chose to hold only one caucus location in Syracuse, which probably didn’t work all too well given the geography and population distribution down there.
— Trevor Fitzgerald Feb 12, 04:00 PM CST #
“it seems that most of those complaining about disenfranchisement are those whose candidate didn’t win”
Didn’t GW say something to this effect after he won last time around?
— Ticha P Feb 12, 04:58 PM CST #
Brain, I think that a fairer plan for us miltary absentee voters would be for us to lobby the unicamerl for voluteers to come out to Camp Pendleton to take my place so that I could come back and caucus. Or maybe since you think that your caucus is fair maybe I could forgo paying my state income tax since I do not benefit from maintaining my Nebraska residency except my right to vote. Gee, it seems we fought another war over the issue of taxation without representation. Or maybe in the eyes of the Nebraska Democratic Party Committee miltary absentee voters haven’t as yet earned the right to vote.
— PH Feb 12, 05:44 PM CST #
A few suggestions if we must have caucuses rather than primaries in this state:
Publish Caucus information in the local papers of ALL counties well before the actual event.
Allow absentee ballots to be filled out the day of the caucus for those who are called into work the last minute, are ill, cannot get childcare, etc. Mail absentee ballots to disabled and active duty military personnel
Require that all caucus sites are handicap accessible and that they have the capacity to hold the highest projected number of voters. Have adequate close-in parking. Have more caucus sites in rural areas so people don’t have to drive 40 or 50 miles to cast a vote.
Train a sufficient number of volunteers.
— Blu Feb 12, 06:04 PM CST #
Let us not forget that Lee Terry needs to be defeated.
— Rob Daniel Feb 12, 10:14 PM CST #
Ticha P: You’re exactly right about what GW told us in 2000. Big difference: The NE voters were not disenfranchised. At least not where I caucused (Sarpy Co.). We had a huge turnout on Saturday, and every vote was counted. This was our 1st attempt at a caucus, and, though it was crazy and disorderly, it worked. Disabled folks were well-cared for. We had handicapped-access, we even had a lady doing sign language for the deaf. Our legislative district had two individuals caucusing in wheelchairs. The caucus is over, and I’m sure we’ll make vast improvements next time….more caucus areas, etc. But let’s not throw the thing out because of 1st-time learning experiences. It was a joyous and raucous example of democracy in action.
— James Feb 13, 06:39 AM CST #
There are a couple basic components of a fair and democratic election – Secret voting to shield voters from intimidation and social pressures for conformity.
A transparent count that allows all to see that their votes were counted.

Last Saturday’s caucus was the total reverse, we publicly cast our votes amidst cheers and jeers and when the results were reported it was by Districts not by caucus sites or Precincts.
The caucuses also allowed Republicans to change party and help decide our candidate (my opinion) for the purpose of influencing the outcome and to assure a win for their candidate in November.
— Blu Feb 13, 07:24 AM CST #
Blu a caucaus is not an elec tion it is a selection a caucaus is defined as a political meeting to decide something
— Dave Lovewell Feb 13, 09:17 AM CST #
James – Are you serious? There were most certainly people disenfranchised in Sarpy County. Enfranchising people means not only counting all the votes, but allowing every eligible participant to cast one. There were people turned away because Hwy. 370 was closed, turned away because traffic control told them there were no more parking spaces, and turned away because there were no more registration forms. Also, there seems to be some dispute as to actual attendance numbers. If everyone was truly enfranchised, wouldn’t the number of participants and the number of preference cards cast be nearly equal?

While people were courteous to the elderly and handicapped, and the building was handicapped-accessible, many handicapped people got no accommodations because of the crush of people. I know that I stood (note:stood) next to an elderly woman with a cane for over an hour while we were waiting to sign the voter rolls. There weren’t any chairs, and the line was not moving at all.

Also, the caucus didn’t function as a caucus, as most people just handed in their preference card and left (as instructed). I had no idea that Richard Carter announced he was running for Terry’s seat until I heard it on the news.

I’m also wondering why waiting for three hours to vote in OH or FL is seen as possible voter suppression, but in Sarpy County it is “a joyous and raucous example of democracy”.

Also note: I caucused for Obama, and it is lucky for the second district that he won by such a big margin. If it was close, we could have serious, serious problems.
— Liz Jones Feb 13, 09:40 AM CST #
One very important thing seems to jump out at me from all this discussion about the “fairness” of the caucus system. The “solutions” to the problems all cost money and depend on people to make them work.

My answer then is that everyone support their county parties with whatever financial support they can so that the County Chairs can afford to get the word out, they can afford to print and distribute absentee ballots, and they can afford to rent multiple sites for the caucases to be held.

Then everyone that can SHOULD volunteer to be a precinct captain, volunteer to help check people in, volunteer to help get the word out. County chairs can’t do it all by themselves. Who is going to do the work? The simple answer is . . . you.

We also need to establish a better system for effectively communicating with and between our county chairs. There is a listserve set up for the delegates to the State Central Committee that should be opened up to all county officers, or a new one set up just for county officers. I prefer the first choice.
— Brian T. Osborn Feb 13, 11:10 AM CST #
I agree with Brian T. Osborn. For all the complaints about the recent caucus, we should all be glad we at least had a chance to make a difference this time. Can we improve things? Most definitely. With such a response, we can get down to the precinct level like they do in Iowa. It just takes many, many committed folks. I volunteered for my leg. district, and, yes, I was totally bumfuzzled by the amount of people who showed up. But it worked. What folks need to realize is that the party used a statistical sampling to predict turnout, which wasn’t anywhere close to what we actually had turned out. I hope we have this kind of turnout next time…....and we can move forward. To those who complain about Republicans changing parties, I changed my registration prior to the caucus. I was registered GOP for 10 years, but have voted Democrat in every election since 2000. Little wonder what turned my thinking around. ;) SO, there are many of us who are now voting blue who are converts. But I”m a commited convert.
— James Feb 13, 12:19 PM CST #
To all who wanted the caucus.If we would have waited till May, Nebraska may have had the most imporant Primary in the U.S.A..Or at least one of the top three! But no we had a causcus,where way to many people had NO VOTE.Many of you are talking about cost.The Party need not have spent a dime if we had not had a caucus!!And to Brian Osborn the 100% fair way is a PRIMARY!!As you may have guessed I do not want another way for one group to cheat another.We have enought of that going on the way it is.Just a thought.Dave of McCook
— Dave Haller Feb 13, 09:26 PM CST #
Dave,

Having a primary would be a wonderful thing if 49 other states agreed to do it on the same day with us. But since we live in the real world, not that perfect one that we would all love to live in, the caucus was the best thing we had going this time around.

You say that way too many people had NO VOTE. Well, at least some had a vote, which is far better than nobody having a vote, which is what is going to happen to Nebraska’s Republicans when they go to the ballot box in May. If we hadn’t had a caucus we’d have been in the same boat.
— Brian T. Osborn Feb 13, 09:57 PM CST #
On to a new topic. Now that we are a more energized party … perhaps … what are we doing about contesting Johan’s run for the Senater. Is Kleeb still out there and how can we get him on the ticket?

When is Lee Terry’s re-election up for grabs.

The caucus was a success in many ways, let’s not dwell on it forever. Lets get our next agenda items discussed.
— Marian Ingwersen Feb 14, 06:35 PM CST #
First thing . . . don’t let those energized caucus goers out of your grasp. Don’t run them off by immediately begging them for money, that’ll turn them off in a minute.
Best thing . . . give them something to do. Organize projects in your county, community, or neighborhood where you can keep good Democrats meeting with other good Democrats. Ask them for more than just a check. Ask them for blood, sweat and tears. I think you get all that and more.
— Brian T. Osborn Feb 14, 09:01 PM CST #
I live in Box Butte county and the caucus here was a secret to most people in the area all it managed to do was alienate the working people in our area. the place I work for is 7 days a week and 3 shifts a day and no provisions were made for those that work. so to most of us it seems that the democratic party decided to take away our right to vote.
the primary election system was set up long ago and included POLLING places to allow people to vote at different times of the day to accomadate different shifts and times of convenience to allow more people to vote.
I for one would like to see a comparison of the numbers of voters in the primary elections to the number of caucus attendees as very few in our area could find out when and where the caucus was held. and to the statement of getting off our backsides”I fraised this nicer than the original poster” I have not missed an election in 20 years! but now I don’t get to vote because of a group of eletist cheerleaders that just want to do things their own way and not worry about a true representation form of government. so now who has lost touch with the voters? the republicans are still having a primary election and ALL who wish in their party will get to vote. the party only seems to remeber my phone number when they need money but this source just dried up because if they won’t let me vote I’m not going to give.
jimc
— jim cunningham Feb 14, 10:25 PM CST #
Jim, I’ve voted absentee for the every Democratic Candidate for President for the past twenty-eight years. Since your “elitist cheerleaders” didn’t deem my absentee status worthy fo participate in “their democratic process, maybe John McCain will.
— PH Feb 15, 09:53 AM CST #
Jim,

You are right that the Republicans will still have their primary in May and “ALL who wish in their party will get to vote.” They will get to chose between John McCain, John McCain, or maybe even John McCain. What is so special about that?

Let me ask you, Jim, other than just showing up at the ballot box for the last 20 years, what have you done to participate in this democracy of ours? I got involved in the party, partly because Trish told me that I had to DO something other than “just sit and bitch.”

Trust me, the decision to go with a caucus was not an easy one and no one expected it to be perfect, but it certainly was better than having a primary in May after the party’s candidate was already selected. Maybe you’ve got a better plan. Get involved in the party, make you voice heard, and let all the “elitist cheerleaders” know that you can do the job better. We’re all ears.
— Brian T. Osborn Feb 15, 12:15 PM CST #
so only if I want to play the party game your way and do what you want can I have a vote, is this what I’m hearing? this is exactly the attitude that will destroy this party! you only get to participate by doing it the way we tell you or you don’t deserve to VOTE. you people making the decision to hold the caucus never took the time to consider rank and file working people and during that time I was a union officer in more than one position including the local president so talk to me about responsibility and stepping up. try being an officer of a union in nebr. for a challenge. the fact is that the state democratic party took away my right to vote and nothing you can try to say about that will change this. no one seems to want to answer the question I asked about the numbers in comparison to an election so it was still a minority of people that got to make this very important decision for the rest of us in your little secret meetings so like I said don’t call me for money as no right to vote, no donations. I will donate now to only the candidates I wish to as MY DEM party only seems to want my money and not my vote. also from the tone of your post I can see that you see nothing wrong with what you did as a party and that is probably the worst part of the problem, how are you going to explain this to the people that didn’t even know the caucus was being held and before you spout off I will tell you that the state party never budgeted any money to inform the people in the panhandle about your CAUCUS so there are still people out here that think they will get to vote on a candidate for president in may. also I did try to find out when and where it was held and nobody seemed to know anything about it till monday when the results were in the newspaper.
— jim cunningham Feb 15, 04:30 PM CST #
We need to learn from these mistakes, but also move on. Lee Terry has basically been campaigning since he narrowly escaped the last election. We need to find and support viable candidates for other offices. Hello? Jim Esch, can you hear me?
— Tammy J Feb 15, 06:47 PM CST #
Jim,

You’re mad, that’s understandable, but don’t let your anger keep you from listening to what I am saying. What you are hearing is not what I said.

There was a LOT of discussion, in fact it was the major topic of discussion for several State Central Committee meetings, about how we could get the maximum number of people involved in the caucus. Believe me there was a lot of time spent considering the rank and file working people.

The caucus system is not the ideal system, but the alternative, at least this year, was that you would have had the right to vote in the primary in May, just as you always have had, but no one that voted in the primary would have had one iota of influence over our selection for POTUS. Because so many other states had changed the dates of their primaries and caucuses, the candidate with a sufficient number of delegates to win the nomination would have been selected before you ever set foot in a voting booth. So that precious vote that you are so angry about would have been meaningless.

Our people tried to convince the Legislature to change the date for the primary here in Nebraska, just as so many other states did. The Republicans in the Unicameral would have none of it because they feared it would favor the Democrats. Your anger should be directed at them.

The only alternative that would give at least SOME of Nebraska’s Democrats a real say in the selection of a Presidential candidate was to caucus. It was a workaround, flawed . . . yes, but at least better than nothing. Would you have preferred nothing?

The percentage of Nebraskans that were able to participate in our caucus was greater than that of the much ballyhooed one in Iowa. It is just the nature of the beast that a lot of people can’t participate, but those that did were genuinely involved. The good thing about the caucus, as opposed to merely voting in a primary, is that people get together and discuss the candidates. I know in my county most of the people were thrilled to have the opportunity to get together with so many other Democrats. That alone is going to be a great thing for the party.

Jim, I have to ask you. Just who do you think the people are that make up the Nebraska Democratic Party leadership that you are so critical of? You’ve called us “elitist cheerleaders” but I have to say that when I attend a meeting of the SCC I see a lot of working class stiffs like myself, all of them volunteers. There are retired school teachers, union laborers, farmers, lawyers, business owners, college kids, a veritable cross section of Nebraska’s working class. I’m a graphic designer that works from a home office and I’ll double damn guarantee you that my income hardly puts me in a category that anyone would consider “elitist.”

The party doesn’t have the ability to print money. It isn’t funded by the government. So please spare me your rant about how they didn’t spend enough publicizing this thing. We depended a lot on all the free press we could get, but unfortunately, a lot of the press in Nebraska is owned by Republicans. Many papers saw no need to publicize something for our party. The county chairs had to fund any advertisements on their own dime. Not all of us are rolling in the coin.

Pardon me if I have been a bit short with you, but you came bursting into this conversation with a lot of misconceptions and started lobbing your hate grenades left and right. You hit some really good people that care about this state and this party. They even care about you. They all did the best they could and I am sorry that it wasn’t up to the standard that you set for them. That is why I said that you should get involved. I think you would have a very different view of things if you were.

Please, Jim, do get involved with the party. We need every good Democrat we can get on our team.
— Brian T. Osborn Feb 15, 08:07 PM CST #
then fix the system and quit trying to keep up with everyone else spend the time and effort letting people know the reason and also start telling people about what you are doing and make the effort to include everyone you talk about the state party central comittee but why if they were going to make this big of a change didn’t they do it soon enough to start notifying membership and arranging a method of including those that were working. I was not at work but could not find the location or time and I work in the largest employer in the panhandle and almost everyone here is union you could have made the calls to the unions and had them notify their memberships and they would do that, the place I work in we have people from 5 counties and I have not found anyone that knew anything about the caucus at all not even what it was about. so instead of just scrapping the primary election system with it’s safegaurds and gauranties let’s try fixing the current system. there is quite a concern about the caucus as there are posts about leaving the party and frankly I’m considering registering as an independant right now because of the caucus and as far as “if we waited for the primary election date in may we would not make any difference ” we wouldn’t any way as we don’t have the population to worry the candidates about us swinging an election either way that’s just what happens in a low density state. fix the primary system with it’s safegaurds or include all in some way or the party will die in nebr. as people do value their right to vote. also keep in mind that in the panhandle we’re used to the east end of the state making all the decisions as your polls close an hour before ours and the bulk of the population is in the east but we still went and cast our votes as is our right. and yes I am upset and I should be, I WAS NOT ALLOWED TO VOTE!!!!
— jim cunningham Feb 16, 06:30 PM CST #
Jim,

Just to be very clear to all who read this website, Box Butte County widely advertised the caucus in the Alliance Times Herald, (very large front page story by Rachel Gonzales), Hemingford Ledger, (front page story two days before the caucus), KCOW, our local radio station reported the caucus location for three days, Thurs, Fri, and Saturday morning before the caucus. The County Clerk was very cooperative and handed out a typed sheet of paper I made available to her that outlined the caucus process and told where the caucus would be held and who to call for more information or an absentee ballot. The newspapers and radio announcements all told of the absentee ballots that were available if one was not able to attend. I e-mailed many absentee ballots to folks who asked for them. Personally, I felt the caucus left out a lot of folks who would normally have a vote in the primary we are all used to. My Democratic beliefs would not lead me to leave the Democratic Party for another party because of something that was done by the state leadership in Lincoln. I would get involved and fight that elitist system. I would not be run out of MY party. I am so sorry you feel you could not locate your caucus site when in fact, it was advertised in every media source available to us in Box Butte County. Even if you subscribe to the Scottsbluff paper, the caucus was even more often advertised in that paper. I would have liked to see the NDP put money into this mandated caucus. No money was spent on the caucus and therefore lots of folks were left out. I believe if the NDP mandated the caucus they should have personally notified every registered Democrat in the state. If money was not available for this then the caucus should have been put on hold until the money was available. Jim, we can use passionate people here in Box Butte County working for local and state Democrats. There are meetings held in the 3rd district and in Box Butte County that you are welcome to attend and become involved with. I have sent you a personal e-mail with my phone number. I would be willing to discuss any issues with you. As Democrats, we will agree on many issues and could band together to fight for the other issues we believe need to be changed.
— Ramona Kufalk, Box Butte County Chair Feb 16, 09:19 PM CST #
To Jim: My understanding is that polls in statewide Nebraska elections close at the same time. 8pm CT, 7pm MT
— Ted Kessler Feb 17, 12:29 PM CST #
Jim, if it’s any consolation, I agree with you in many ways. Not only was the caucus system not well-understood by many … I made calls for my county and had to tell everyone that I talked to … what it was and how it worked. Many of the people I called, especially older citizens … said they would not attend. I have a sister, for example, who is 70 and she said she had no desire to tell people what party she was in and who she was going to vote for.

I think the caucus system favored younger voters which of course favor Obama. I hope people vote in May just to see how the numbers and the vote turn out. I do not know, however … if those votes will be counted in any way.
— Marian Ingwersen Feb 17, 05:26 PM CST #