Frustrated and bewildered, some caucus-goers shut out

Voters around the Las Vegas Valley complained Saturday that they were denied an opportunity to vote in the Republican presidential caucuses because they showed up late for their precinct meetings.

Party officials acknowledged that confusion about the caucus process disenfranchised some voters.

"We did our best to get the word out that people needed to be there at 9 a.m., but we had some circumstances where people didn't get the word," Clark County Republican Party Chairman Dave Gibbs said. "It's unfortunate that they weren't able to participate today."

Gibbs said he didn't know how many voters were turned away, but he acknowledged that people probably were denied an opportunity to vote at sites around the valley.

He promised to address the problem before the next presidential caucus.

"We'll look to see what improvements we need to make to get the word out," he said. "We'll look at improving communication."

Tom Thomas, a site manager at Cimarron-Memorial High School, said about 20 people were not allowed to vote there because they showed up at 10:30 or 10:45 a.m., after the balloting had already taken place. Thomas said most of his 26 precincts had completed voting by 10 a.m.

Josephine Brancatelli, 77, said the party gave her confusing instructions about when to vote.

She said she and her husband, Arthur, showed up at Palo Verde High School about noon and learned the caucus site already had been shut down for the day. About a half-dozen other people were in the parking lot looking to vote, as well, she said.

"I'm very frustrated," Brancatelli said. "It meant a lot for me to vote this time, and I wasn't able to."

Thomas said he was told that about 20 people were also turned away at Becker Middle School because they showed up late.

Party members who arrived late at Coronado High School also were not allowed to cast ballots, voters there said.

"People showed up at the wrong time thinking this runs all day like a primary," said Rachel Stephens, 24. "The instructions were unclear, and the party was disorganized."

Others tweeted at and emailed about their frustrations after being turned away elsewhere.

"I ... went to Basic High School at 10 and the person said it was over at 9:30 but yet the sign said 9-1:00," Josh Martinez tweeted. "I received plenty of calls from candidates but no one ever told me where to go caucus or how it worked."

Darlene Manassee and her husband wrote that the caucus process was "un-American" after the couple were turned away from a voting site in Sun City Anthem when they showed up late.

"We were told they would be open until 1 p.m.," Manassee wrote. "... We arrived at 11:30 a.m. as they were shutting down and were not allowed to participate. ... Now, I have not been able to make my voice be heard, which is what my right as an American should be."

Thomas said the caucus format can be confusing.

"People get in the habit of voting in primaries where they can vote any time of the day," he said. "But in a caucus, people can miss out if they're not there when the process starts up. The caucus is like showing up for an appointment. If you show up late, you miss the appointment."

Gibbs said the party encountered other problems during the voting.

A handful of people went to the wrong location, and party officials fielded about 300 calls from voters who didn't know their precinct numbers, he said.

"By and large, it went well," Gibbs said. "For the most part, when problems cropped up, we were able to take care of them."

At Green Valley High School, caucus- goers desperate to find their precincts wandered aimlessly around the halls.

As classrooms began to fill with voters who were able to locate their precinct, some scrawled their precinct numbers onto makeshift signs with whatever markers, pens and paper they could find.

Some signs were taped to classroom doors. For those without signs, it seemed voters might never find the right place to caucus. And time was ticking down.

"This is ridiculous," Wendy Paez, 53, said. "It's discouraging. You want to be part of the process."

Paez stopped in the middle of the hallway and leaned against the wall, trying to make sense of the paperwork in her hand as if it might lead her to the correct location. She expressed relief when someone tacked a sign to a classroom door with her precinct number.

Confusion was a common theme throughout the process as people continued to struggle during voting from a lack of ballots. Voters in precinct No. 7683 had to wait 10 minutes until a volunteer rounded up enough blue ballots to vote. Those too antsy to wait for official ballots elsewhere tried to make their own.

Paul Petty is glad not many Republicans showed at Chaparral High School to participate in the party caucus.

"This was a cluster," said the school's caucus manager at 10:45 a.m. as the caucus wrapped up and precinct groups handed in their envelopes containing their candidate votes.

About 1,000 participants were dispersed into 40 rooms based on their precincts. But Petty wasn't allowed to hand out ballots until every group was settled. That way, every group would be handed one ballot per person, no extras.

There was only one problem. Petty had just two people to cover the whole school and hand out ballots when the caucus started at 9 a.m.

Growing impatient, several precinct groups voted on their own, not using the official blue ballot. Then, they put their pieces of paper into their precinct envelope and sealed it.

Now, Petty is worried their votes won't count in the caucus.

"These caucuses are a nightmare," he said.

Review-Journal reporter Trevon Milliard contributed to this report.Contact Jeff German at jgerman@review journal.com or 702-383-0246. Contact reporter Kristi Jourdan at kjourdan@reviewjournal.com or 702-455-4519.

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Comments

Note: Comments made by reporters and editors of the Las Vegas Review-Journal are presented with a yellow background.

1. heckle Feb. 5, 2012 | 8:42 p.m. Report Abuse

   Sounds like Nevada is the Florida of the southwest. The GOP machine has no shame and we the people are the idiots who tolerate it and let them get away with it.

2. bruce.baxter Feb. 5, 2012 | 2:50 p.m. Report Abuse

   The Democratic Caucus in 2008 was even worse. As you left the Republican Caucus the Obama and Clinton campaigns would attempt to ascertain which Democrat you liked the most and would ask you to sign an affidavit on the spot claiming you were a Democrat and would be 18 years old by the time of the general election. Also, no photo id required, just your signature. I saw what appeared to be 12 year olds sign an affidavit and enter their caucus.

3. Sam Stone Feb. 5, 2012 | 2:49 p.m. Report Abuse

   I'm not Jewish and I participated in the Summerlin caucus held at the Adelson School. You only had to affirm that you did not vote in the morning caucuses, you were a registered Republican, and you were attending the night-time session due to "religious" reasons. The Affidavit did NOT state that you "had to be Jewish" to attend. I'm not a fan of Affidavits and I think the Republican Party may have done itself a disservice by making people sign the affidavit, but it didn't require you to be Jewish.

4. itsumo Feb. 5, 2012 | 2:25 p.m. Report Abuse

   Last nights caucus was a perfect example of the Republican Party being un-American. You had to be Jewish to take part in the Summerlin caucus and had to affirm to that. The Republican Party should be ashamed of itself. But, it won't be because they are blind.

5. iShrug Feb. 5, 2012 | 2:17 p.m. Report Abuse

   N.H.: If you think that the "party operatives" are ultraconservative, think again. I don't know where you are getting your information, but you are mistaken. Party operatives appear to be supporting Mitt Romney. You sound angry. If you are directing that anger at me, you should choose a different target. I spent a great deal of effort trying to GET PEOPLE TO SHOW UP FOR CAUCUS. All Republicans. It is a Republican caucus, after all. Why would I spend any time and effort doing this, unless I thought Republican turnout was important? BTW, I'm not a "party operative," I'm a "decent, honest, hardworking person who sincerely embraces traditional conservative principles," as you describe below. I'm a taxpaying American citizen who is focused on getting Obama out of the White House. How about using some of your excess energy to do the same? Get out there and support your candidate, and some of our local candidates, while you're at it. No need to be so bitter.

6. N.H Feb. 5, 2012 | 1:53 p.m. Report Abuse

   The average midle-of-the-road Republican is a decent, honest, hard working person who sincerely embraces traditional conservative principles. The Party Operatives, however, and more specifically the Sharron Angle Tea Party Operatives, tend to be ultra-conservative, reactionary, often racist (yes, racist), xenophobic (look it up, I know that Nevada conservatives detest education, but look it up), and most importantly, worshipful of Billionaires like Adelson, the Ensign Dynasty, Steve Forbes, etc. So when average decent Republicans get cut out of the process, this doesn't bother the Party Operatives one tiny bit.

7. iShrug Feb. 5, 2012 | 12:44 p.m. Report Abuse

   Yes, they can be a nightmare. Ask Senator Harry Reid why we hold a caucus, rather than a primary. Parties have to pay for caucus. Volunteers are required to hold them. Trained volunteers. People volunteer their time to train the volunteers. I have put in many hours attending training, walking my precinct, and am involved with my party at a number of levels. There are so many others who put in far more time and money than I do! Folks, we have a government of the people, by the people, for the people. At least this is supposed to be how it works. SO, why not get involved with your Republican Party? Learn how you can help. Learn how you can be an active participant in YOUR government, and the political process. A great many people showed up to their precinct caucus sites, ON TIME, and even EARLY. Young people, old people, all races, all backgrounds. Handicapped people, veterans. These are the citizens who pay attention to what is going on around them, make a decision to become informed, and take action to ensure they have some say in the elective process. Does it take time? Sure. Must you expend some effort? Anything worth achieving takes effort. Is it rewarding to lead by example, and get other people involved? Absolutely. There are some dedicated people at this moment, who are not thinking about the Super Bowl. They are making sure that votes were cast legitimately, legally, and counted accurately. If you want to criticize the way things are done, be prepared to offer constructive suggestions. We want, and need your input--get involved. Don't immediately start abusing the person who is required to inform you, that your precinct caucus is over, and you can't attend because you are late. Do you really believe that Republican volunteers at a Republican caucus want to PREVENT you from participating? That makes no sense. Think about it.

8. vegasstar Feb. 5, 2012 | 12:22 p.m. Report Abuse

   that's what these people get for voting republican. unless you are very rich, you are a fool to vote republican. fools can't see how the republicans don't care about anybody else but the very rich.

9. mar100 Feb. 5, 2012 | 10:44 a.m. Report Abuse

   Republicans again shoot themselves in the foot! If Republicans can't run something as simple as a caucus how can they orginize the state to beat the president? Republicans are responsible for the election of Senator Obama to the office of the presidency and if this foolishness continues President Obama will win again! First thing Monday morning CC Chairman Gibbs should be fired and we should go back to a primary system. It scares me to say or think four more years of this president and his policies...

10. maxy212 Feb. 5, 2012 | 10:43 a.m. Report Abuse

    The GOP (Greedy Once Percent) are so out of touch they don't even know how to run a caca, yes I said caca. Is this how they would run the country?

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