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State GOP says no to same-day signups for caucuses
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LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
The Nevada Republican Party is standing firm on not allowing same-day voter registration for the presidential caucuses, GOP leaders said as they prepared for a meeting today to decide the caucus date.
The GOP Central Committee had been planning to discuss same-day registration at its Las Vegas meeting, but the topic was removed from the agenda. Party leaders said they had determined that same-day registration could cause too many problems. Also, tea party groups and other GOP factions had objected.
"Some people thought there could be some mischief," said Bob List, former Nevada governor and a GOP national committeeman. "Some of it is a perception problem. But we reached a consensus to not have on-site, immediate registration the same day as the caucus."
U.S. Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., said Friday he is disappointed. He believes same-day registration could have immediately increased Republican registration by tens of thousands in one day. And that would boost his chances of defeating U.S. Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., in their Senate race.
"The purpose of the caucus was to strengthen the party," Heller said in an interview, noting Democrats registered 30,000 people in one day in 2008.
Now, Democrats have about a 60,000 registered voter advantage over Republicans statewide. The GOP presidential nominee could get a lift in challenging President Barack Obama's re-election in Nevada if Republicans use the caucus to register more party members.
Nevada Republican Party Chairwoman Amy Tarkanian and other GOP leaders had hoped to register Republicans at caucus sites to generate excitement and new voters for the 2012 election. That is what Democrats did in 2008, adding 100,000 Democrats to the rolls by election day and helping Obama win Nevada and the White House.
But many Republicans, who as a party have long opposed same-day registration for state-run elections, were worried about ineligible voters participating in the party-run caucuses or Democrats infiltrating the meetings to pick a GOP presidential preference.
Tarkanian, after hearing those concerns, submitted caucus rules to the Republican National Committee earlier this fall without same-day registration. At the time, she also agreed to debate the question at today's meeting and said that Nevada could submit revised rules if Republicans voted in favor of same-day registration.
Ahead of the weekend meeting, however, List said GOP leaders had determined there wasn't enough support for the idea. So the central committee decided to scrap the public debate.
List said the GOP will conduct a vigorous party registration drive instead leading up to the caucus, which could increase participation.
Orrin Johnson, a GOP activist from Washoe County, said he was disappointed the state party won't allow same-day registration. He had been scheduled to present arguments in its favor today.
"I think the concerns about voter fraud are not legitimate," Johnson said. "The bottom line is this will eliminate our ability to register a whole bunch of Republicans."
Jeri Taylor-Swade, the conservative Republican who led the drive against same-day registration, said she was pleased GOP leaders listened to the concerns of the rank and file.
"It could have set a precedent for elections if we accept same-day registration," she said. "And the second thing is, this could have caused a massive opportunity for fraud and chaos."
At the meeting, the GOP Central Committee, about 200 members, will vote on whether to move the Nevada caucus to Feb. 4. It's set for Jan. 14, but the RNC has asked the state to change the date to accommodate New Hampshire's desire to have the first-in-the-nation primary on Jan. 10. The Granite State wants at least a week's space between state contests.
Nevada officials are leaning toward Feb. 4 instead of picking another January date that might conflict with other early states.
The Iowa caucuses are set for Jan. 3 and the South Carolina primary for Jan. 21. Florida scheduled its primary for Jan. 31, a move that started the early voting calendar scramble.
Tarkanian and other state party leaders will be running for re-election. Several Republicans unhappy with the recent drama over same-day registration and the shifting caucus date are prepared to challenge her. But she was endorsed Friday by Heller and Gov. Brian Sandoval and has the backing of most other GOP leaders. She is expected to win a full term.
Contact reporter Laura Myers at lmyers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2919. Follow her on Twitter@lmyerslvrj.
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This is precisely the reason I'm telling everyone I know to change their voter registration to Republican ASAP so that they can support Dr. Paul in the Caucus. As a volunteer for his campaign, I've been canvassing and doing my damndest to spread the word, especially to my a-political friends.
mrs. ed have you forgotten your meds again? You make no sense whatsoever.
Ron Paul and Glass Steagall. Nothing else matters. Understand it, GOP.
Looking great for Nevada so far. We blow the money that is spent on the early states to go late. And we do everything we can to stop people from becoming interested in our caucuses. It almost looks like we want to lose the national elections and of course our state has no need for campaign spending here. Common sense looks like we should cancel and save the money for another 4 years at this rate. The candidates aren't overly exciting us, the party wants to go dud out of ridiculous prejudice fears. Maybe its better to stay home this year and the Dems have it.
I think the old Republican lock n step guard has become to ridiculous for our time and needs to get out of the way before they give away more elections by pushing away the next younger generation.
thats all right the Dems will register the day of the caucus all welcome even repubs that are tired of their parties history of supporting canadates that have no chance of winning.....we welcome all
The real reason for the big upsurge in Democrat voter registration on caucus day was an orchestrated push by unions and Democrats to sign everyone up that had a pulse. Just working the strip hotels rounds up a lot of people. Many who had special dispensations from the national communist party to sign up and vote anywhere they could. The rampant cheating by both Hillary and obummer is legend.
The less votes and voters the better, or so the Republicans believe. Way to be unamerican.
- E
It really makes one wonder. During the McCain regime, the GOP of NV pulled some really bad hijinks, almost as if they were working for the Obama candidacy.
This will be no different. If NV does not get Ron Paul, many Republicans will vote Obama. Not that it matters. We have a Super Congress now, just like other tyrannies throughout history.
Some of the comments below make people think that the Democrats just hate white people and are the party of anti-white racists.
All republicans are liars. Marco Rubio had a story (inherited from his dad) about fleeing the commies in Cuba. Many bartenders, cabbies, dealers, etc. have phony heart warming stories to get more tips. (Rubio's daddy was a Bartender in town.)
The people that left Cuba were all part of the Batista dictatorship.
The Republicans want only white slave holders to vote.
Everyone knows what the Republican Party stands for.
No late-term caucus registration.
No late-term abortion.
No late-term stem-cell treatment.
No late-term euthanasia.
No late-term lethal injection sentence commutations.