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Nov. 18, 2007
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NEVADA CAUCUS: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Elections
2008 ELECTIONS
Get more news, voter information

Q: WHAT'S A CAUCUS? HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM A PRIMARY?

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    • A: A primary is an election: You go to a polling place and vote by secret ballot. You can go whenever you want on Election Day or even during the early voting period, or vote by absentee ballot. A caucus is a neighborhood meeting. You have to be at your caucus site at a certain time on Jan. 19, and there is no early or absentee voting. The idea behind a caucus is to have a conversation among neighbors.

    Q: WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL ABOUT THE NEVADA CAUCUSES, ANYWAY?

    A: In past elections, Nevada Democrats and Republicans basically didn't get any say in who their respective parties would pick to run for president because they didn't hold party conventions until the nominees were nearly a foregone conclusion. In 2004, by the time Nevada Democrats caucused on Feb. 14, most of the competition to Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., had dropped out. Kerry was named the presumptive Democratic nominee on March 11. (The Republican nomination was not contested because the party had an unchallenged incumbent president.) The primary candidates spent most of their time campaigning in the first states to vote, chiefly Iowa and New Hampshire. The results in those states were closely watched and changed the dynamic of the race.

    Now that both parties' Nevada caucuses are scheduled for Jan. 19, Nevada will be among the first few states to weigh in, and officials in the state hope to have more influence on the process as a result. Especially for the Democrats, this means the candidates have spent unprecedented amounts of time and money courting Nevada voters.

    Q: HOW WILL I KNOW WHERE TO GO?

    A: The political party with which you are registered will send you a card about a month before the caucuses telling you your caucus site. You also can consult the parties' Web sites.

    Q: WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE DEMOCRATIC AND REPUBLICAN CAUCUSES?

    A: There are several differences. The caucuses start at different times of day, 9 a.m. for the GOP, 11:30 a.m. for the Democrats. Democrats allow same-day registration. You must have been a registered Republican for at least 30 days to participate in the GOP caucuses. The caucuses are both delegate elections, but they are structured differently, with Democrats measuring candidates' support based on a delegate count while Republicans conduct a secret-ballot straw poll after electing delegates.

    Q: IS IT TRUE THAT 17-YEAR-OLDS CAN PARTICIPATE?

    A: If you will be 18 by Election Day (Nov. 4), you can register to vote with the Nevada secretary of state and participate in either party's nominating caucuses.

    Q: WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO IN ADVANCE?

    A: Find out your caucus site. If you're a Republican, register 30 days in advance.

    Q: IF CAUCUS-GOERS ARE TECHNICALLY ELECTING DELEGATES, WHAT DO THOSE DELEGATES DO?

    A: The delegates elected at the precinct-level caucuses go to their party's county conventions. There, they elect delegates to the state conventions. At those conventions, delegates to the national conventions are elected. It's like a big pyramid.

    Q: DO THE DELEGATES AT EACH STAGE HAVE TO SUPPORT THE CANDIDATE THEY SAID THEY WOULD WHEN THEY CAMPAIGNED TO BE A DELEGATE?

    A: No, they can change their minds. You might have voted for a delegate because she supported Candidate X, but that delegate could go to the next convention and vote for Candidate Y. That's why the caucuses are "nonbinding."

    Q: I'M STILL CONFUSED. HOW CAN I LEARN MORE?

    A: Both parties have mock caucuses that you can attend to practice caucusing and find out how to get more involved.

    REVIEW-JOURNAL



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    Florida gal wrote on January 19, 2008 12:22 PM: I can't understand why anyone would vote for Obama!! He is a Muslim with ties to Islam. www.islamichope.org
    come on people...get smart!!


    Vegas Informer wrote on January 17, 2008 01:40 PM: BARACK OBAMA LIED TO NEVADA!

    COPY AND PASTE THIS LINK INTO YOUR BROWSER:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2P0sGcy1LE


    Jan wrote on January 15, 2008 07:00 AM: I would hope that at election one would consider the stand that is taken reguarding ID cards manditory for all travel and individuals in general, this is going to cause so many problems a solve few. Look at history and Germany.. the USA is following the same path they had their ways of gathering information and we are doing to same just a homier name to it.


    Tom Turkey wrote on January 13, 2008 05:40 PM: I wonder if Obama will "get the young vote" to turn out for him this Saturday. Wouldn't that be scary, this being Las Vegas and all..lol.

    Seriously, what better group of people in the whole world to place such an absolutely crucial role in the nomination of the two candidates for the United States president than the senior citizens of Nevada. I mean, in this town that turns 80 year olds into indigents by hooking them on slots rather than each other, maybe this will bring about change.


    Chuck wrote on January 12, 2008 09:05 PM: ABC, your spam e-mail is the same smear e-mail the Hillary Clinton campaign spammed Iowans with. It failed miserably as Hillary was crushed at the Iowa Caucus. By the way, a Clinton campaign worker was FIRED for passing along the e-mail you posted here.


    ABC wrote on January 10, 2008 12:17 PM: The following was a spam email sent to me. Please comment of the facts and/or false facts in the following. Please don't make any judgement on the following. I would like to know what is true or not true in the following:

    ----------------------------------------

    Barack Hussein Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, to Barack Hussein Obama, Sr., a black MUSLIM from Nyangoma-Kogel, Kenya and Ann Dunham, a white Athiest from Wichita, Kansas. Obama's parents met at the University of Hawaii. When Obama was two years old, his parents divorced. His father returned to Kenya. His mother then married Lolo Soetoro, a RADICAL Muslim from Indonesia. When Obama was 6 years old, the family relocated to Indonesia. Obama attended a MUSLIM school in Jakarta. He also spent two years in a Catholic school.

    Lolo Soetoro, the second husband of Obama's mother, Ann Dunham, introduced his stepson to Islam. Obama was enrolled in a Wahabi school in
    Jakarta. Wahabism teaches the RADICAL ISLAMIC.

    Barack Hussein Obama has joined the United Church of Christ in an attempt to downplay his Muslim background. ALSO, keep in mind that when he was sworn into office he DID NOT use the Holy Bible, but instead the Koran.

    Barack Hussein Obama will NOT recite the Pledge of Allegience nor will he show any reverence for our flag. While others place their hands over their hearts, Obama turns his back to the flag and slouches.