Compiled for your viewing pleasure by Jim Holitza - Party Secretary

On Tuesday evening March 16, 2010, both political parties in all of the counties in Colorado will hold their caucuses. All of the Broomfield Democrats will meet at Legacy High School. It is the beginning of the process of determining which Democrats will be running for federal, state, and local offices in the November, 2010, General Election. All registered Democrats are urged to attend the caucus.

A caucus is a gathering of voters from the same party at the precinct level; a precinct is the smallest electoral district within a county. There are 38 precincts in the City and County of Broomfield. The turnout at the caucuses generally depends on whether more than one Democrat is running for the same office. In 2008, the contest between Obama and Clinton brought out a record number of participants. That year an amazing 16% (1,300) of Broomfield Democrats came to the caucus, but that was a unique year. In 2010, two Democrats are running for the US Senate so, we expect another good turnout.

Caucuses are a neighborly experience with people from a specific area meeting and talking about issues and the merits of different candidates. Even though to some, caucuses may seem old-fashioned in the twenty-first century, Colorado considers them valuable and worth keeping, and they will be with us for the foreseeable future. Caucuses are different from primary elections because caucus participants do more than just vote for a candidate – they also debate candidates’ qualifications as well as participate in other party business such as electing delegates to the higher assemblies and submitting resolutions to be considered for incorporation in the Broomfield Democrats Platform. This year the higher assemblies are the Broomfield County Assembly, House District 33 Assembly, Congressional District 2 Assembly, and the State Assembly. The platform is a formal statement of the beliefs of the Broomfield Democrats.

At the Broomfield County Democratic caucus, the participants in each precinct will (1) select delegates to the County Assembly, and possibly other assemblies, (2) discuss issues to be included in the platforms, and (3) elect two Precinct Committeepeople. Each precinct will be allocated a specific number of delegates to the County Assembly depending on the number of registered Democrats in that precinct. These delegates should reflect the overall preference of the caucus participants for the two Democrats running for the US Senate, Senator Michael Bennet and Andrew Romanoff. This is accomplished by taking a preference poll. Caucus participants identify themselves as favoring one of these two candidates or, having no preference, are considered to be uncommitted. Within each precinct and based on the preference poll, the participants will then divide into these three groups (Bennet, Romanoff, or Uncommitted) and each group will elect delegates in proportion to the relative size of their group. At the same time delegates are elected, alternates are also elected; alternates may take the place of delegates who cannot attend an assembly.

After the delegates are elected, the three groups in each precinct will again come together to complete their business, first to elect two Precinct Committeepeople and then to discuss any issues of interest to the participants. We intend to involve the Precinct Committeepeople much more than we have in the past as we build toward the 2010 election. They serve as the face of the Broomfield County Democrats in each precinct. Their duties include building relationships with progressive neighbors in their own precinct, helping elect Democrats, and participating in a variety of Democratic events and activities. They are elected for a term of two years.

The final task of the participants at the caucus is to discuss any issues of interest. If there is some consensus on any particular issue, the participants may forward their recommendations to the Resolutions Committee to consider for incorporation in the Broomfield Democratic Platform.

All of the counties in Colorado must hold their county assemblies between the dates of March 26 and April 15, 2010. Broomfield has chosen Saturday, April 10, to hold its County Assembly. It will also be held at Legacy High School. Delegates and alternates elected at the caucus to attend assemblies will receive a formal notification of the assembly time and place either by e-mail or regular mail; this notification is called the “Official Call.” Assembly participants will gather for several hours to accomplish two tasks: (1) to elect delegates (and alternates) to other assemblies, and (2) to approve the official Platform of the Broomfield County Democrats. The number of delegates (and alternates) as well as the time and date of other assemblies will be determined by their governing bodies.

These other assemblies must be held between the dates of April 16th and June 1st. For the first time, the State Assembly will be held in Broomfield. A date has not been set, but it will most likely be held on one of the last Saturdays in May. The State Assembly also has two tasks: (1) to determine which Democrats will appear on the primary ballot in August, 2010, as well as their order of appearance on the primary ballot, and (2) to approve the official Platform of the Colorado Democratic Party.

Glossary of Caucus and Assembly Terms:

Alternate - Person elected at a caucus (or assembly) who could become a delegate if a delegate elected to attend the same assembly cannot attend. Alternates usually do not know whether they will be seated at an assembly until the day of the assembly. They usually attend the assembly in the hope that some delegates will not be able to attend, in which case they can be seated and participate as a delegate.

Assembly - A formal meeting of Democrats who have been elected by a caucus or a lower assembly. Each assembly does one or more of the following tasks: (1) choose candidates who will appear on the Primary ballot (as well as the order of candidates on the Primary ballot), (2) elect delegates (and alternates) to higher assemblies, and (3) approve a platform.

Caucus - A formal meeting of registered Democrats from a particular precinct. Each caucus does the following tasks: (1) elect delegates and alternates to higher assemblies, (2) elect two Precinct Committeepeople, and (3) approve resolutions to be considered for incorporation in a platform.

Congressional District 2 - One of seven congressional districts in Colorado. All of Broomfield is in Congressional District 2. Congressional District 2 is currently represented by Congressman Jarod Polis.

Delegates - A Democrat elected at a caucus or assembly to participate in a higher assembly.

General Election - The election held on the first Tuesday of November in even numbered years. Only one Democrat, the winner of the Primary Election, runs for each office.

Higher Assembly - An assembly held on a date after that of another assembly or caucus.

House District 33 - Colorado has 65 districts, each of which elects a representative to the Colorado House of Representatives. All of Broomfield is in House District 33. House District 33 is currently represented by Representative Dianne Primavera.

Lower Assembly - An assembly held on a date before that of another assembly.

Official Call - A formal notification of the time and place of an assembly as well as the assembly agenda. The Official Call is usually first attempted by e-mail. If receipt of the e-mail is not acknowledged, an Official Call is sent by regular mail.

Platform - The platform is a formal statement of the beliefs of the Broomfield Democrats. It is prepared by the Resolutions Committee, and approved at the Broomfield County Assembly. Similarly, a state platform is approved at the State Assembly.

Precinct - A precinct is the smallest electoral district within a county. There are 38 precincts in the City and County of Broomfield.

Precinct Committeepeople - A Precinct Committeperson is a Democrat elected at the caucus to lead the Democrats in his or her precinct. There should be two Precinct Committeepeople in each precinct, and they must work as a team. Precinct Committeepeople make up the Broomfield Democrats’ grassroots operations and are critical to the success of many Party goals, including: the election of Democratic Candidates, recruitment of volunteers, and successful fund-raising efforts.

Preference poll - The delegates attending higher assemblies should reflect the overall preference for the candidates running for the highest contested office. In 2008 the highest contested race was that of President. In 2010 the highest contested office is the US Senate race. Currently, the two Democrats running for the US Senate are Senator Michael Bennet and Andrew Romanoff. A preference poll is a vote of all of the participants at a caucus or assembly to determine the support for these candidates. A caucus or assembly participant who does not have a preference for one of these candidates in considered uncommitted.

Primary Election - The Primary Election is an election held in August. Democratic candidates selected at certain assemblies appear on the primary ballot. The winner of each race at the Primary Election will appear on the General Election ballot.

Uncommitted - A caucus or assembly participant who does not have a preference for a candidate in a particular race in considered uncommitted

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