Note: This page is a rough-draft and needs further review for accuracy and clarification. Please take all information on this page with the proverbial "grain of salt" as long as this notice appears on the top of this page.
- Anyone may attend, observe, and offer input. Anyone may offer resolutions and platform planks for consideration.
- However, only registered voters may vote on resolutions, platform, or delegates.
- The voter must be registered to vote in the jurisdiction that is hosting the caucus/convention in order to be able to vote.
- If a registered voter does live in the jurisdiction, they can participate but not vote. (Example of jurisdiction: If the convention is held in Grays Harbor County, one must be registered to vote in Grays Harbor County in order to vote).
- 17-year-olds who will be 18 in time for the next general election (in November), have full participation rights even though they are not yet a registered voter and will have a vote, as long as they also live in the jurisdiction.
- Attendees will be required to sign-in in order for us to verify your credentials.
- Credentials means that we will verify you are a registered voter within our jurisdiction.
- The sign-in form means that you agree with this statement on the form: "I consider myself a Democrat and am willing to proclaim this publicly". (Note: While we will not use your name in any public manner, the proceedings are a matter of public record and we are required to allow public review, if requested.)
- There are no fees for attendance
- There is no obligation to join or commit to a long-term involvement with the Democratic Party. (However, we always hope you will choose to join and/or become active. We could use you and you could have a lot of fun, too!)
- We do expect those who are elected as delegates to move onto the state convention (and the congressional district convention in presidential election years only) to honor their obligations as a delegate. No further obligation is required.
2010 County Convention & Legislative District Caucuses in Grays Harbor County Note: this is just a copy/paste from the Calendar page and needs to be re-written. Consider this a place-holder. Pancakes! - April 10th at 9am, Polish Hall - Prior to the County Convention & Legislative District Caucuses we'll be serving pancakes and other breakfast goodies. Of course, we appreciate your donation. Convention/Caucuses - April 10th at 10am, Polish Hall - The County Convention and Legislative District Caucuses sign-in will start at 10am.
| What are caucuses?  In presidential election years only, there are also congressional district caucuses. Non-Presidential Election Years Delegates who are elected at the legislative district level move onto the state convention to work on the state party platform and consider resolutions. Presidential Election Years In presidential election years, the delegates selected at the legislative district level move onto the congressional district level at which delegates are selected to move onto the national convention.
| What are conventions?  In presidential election years only, there is also a national convention. Non-Presidential Election Years Delegates elected at their legislative district caucus will move onto the state convention to consider resolutions and platform amendments. Presidential Election Years Delegates elected at their legislative district caucus will
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In many parts of the state, the LD caucus is held on one day and the county convention occurs on a later day. Some of you may have read about this and be confused at the way we are doing things here in Grays Harbor County.
Grays Harbor County is divided between three LDs: the 19th, 24th and 35th. As you can see from the maps, these LDs are fairly large and we believe less people will participate from Grays Harbor County if they have to drive the longer distances required to attend caucuses held elsewhere. The 19th LD typically meets in the Longview/Kelso or Long Beach areas, the 24th in Port Angeles, and the 35th in Shelton or Bremerton. Some of these locations are a 3-hour drive from Grays Harbor County, some less, but none are as convenient for people who want to participate as meeting in Grays Harbor County would be. For further convenience, so people don't have to give up additional Saturdays in order to participate, we hold the LD caucuses and the county convention on the same day.
How will this work?
On the day of the county convention, we will separate into three different caucuses for each LD. Those voting in each LD will elect delegates and alternates for their LD only. The number of delegates and alternates elected for each LD is determined by the proportion of the entire LD's population residing within the boundary of that both that LD and Grays Harbor County. This is not a new process. Grays Harbor has been doing it this way for decades. It makes good sense and it comes with additional benefits beyond just saving a few hours of driving for people.
What are those additional benefits?
This process gives Grays Harbor County a greater voice at the state convention when considering platforms and resolutions. We are guaranteed more votes that could make the difference when voting on an issue is close. And more delegates also means more bodies to lobby other delegates potentially pulling more votes over to pass resolutions about issues impacting rural counties like Grays Harbor County.
If all delegates are elected at LD meetings held with the LD-as-a-whole outside of Grays Harbor, several things could happen. First, less Grays Harbor Voters will probably attend meaning less people from Grays Harbor are running to be a delegate. Second, there's no guarantee that anybody from Grays Harbor would be elected as delegates.
People tend to vote for people they know and are comfortable with. The greater turnout of voters from Longview/Kelso, or Port Angeles/Port Townsend, or Shelton/Bremerton means that more people from those areas will be running as delegates and voting on the delegates. It's even possible that all delegates are selected from those areas. And Grays Harbor would have no delegates at the state convention.
In conclusion, this system provides easier access due to being held locally and guarantees a strong contingent of delegates elected from Grays Harbor County. It's a double-win!