MARCH 6TH, 2012
I'm passing on a lot of vital information - this will be a LONG POST. Please take the time to read through this. Here is a link to the Idaho Caucus website. It is there that you can find the information for your county's caucus, learn about the caucus rules, and even watch some youtube videos of a mock caucus. I just called my county's election office (Ada Co. 287-6860) to find out that I was not affiliated with any party - because this is a new thing as of last July. So she directed me to this website, www.idahovotes.gov where you click on link "Voter Information & Registration". Then you click on "Political Party Affiliation" (in the middle of the screen) and you can print the form to claim your party and then fax it back to them at 287-6939 (if your home address has not changed since the last time you voted). You can do this the night of the caucus, but I wanted to avoid any extra time waiting in line.
This is very important!
In fact, our church leaders have also encouraged us to attend the caucus of our choice and participate. This is a letter written to the Utah Saints (I have heard that there is a letter being read in sacrament meeting from the First Presidency- I haven't heard it yet in my ward).
Salt Lake City — The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) has issued a letter to be read in all Utah congregations, which encourages Latter-day Saints to attend their local precinct caucus meetings:
On Tuesday, March 13, and Thursday, March 15, 2012, political parties in Utah will hold precinct caucus meetings. Precinct caucuses are the most fundamental grassroots level of political involvement. They are best served by a broad representation of Utah citizens. Those who attend play a critical role in selecting candidates for public office.
We are concerned with the decreasing attendance at these caucus meetings in Utah in recent years. We therefore ask that local leaders not schedule meetings on these Tuesday and Thursday evenings so that members may attend a caucus meeting of their choice. The locations of these meetings can be found on the websites of the respective political parties.
Principles compatible with the gospel may be found in the platforms of the various political parties. We encourage members to attend their precinct caucus meetings
The First Presidency has made the same appeal in the past of encouraging members of the Church to participate, with other good citizens, in the political process as part of their individual civic duty, while the Church itself remains politically neutral.
Read more about the Church’s position on
political neutrality.
It’s new this year that Idahoans register by political party OR claim “unaffiliated” with a party.
The Republican Presidential candidate is NOT decided yet! We vote on March 6 in a caucus format, but you have to be registered as a Republican to participate.
Doors open a 4:00pm, Door close at 7:00pm sharp
If you have not registered yet you can do so at the door, when you come to the Republican Presidential caucus at Taco Bell Arena On March 6th. It will be extremely important to get the word out about Idaho’s first caucus on Super Tuesday, March 6, 2012. I have attached some information on Ada County’s caucus.
Please pass this information on to everyone!
IDAHO’S NEW REPUBLICAN PRIMARY
AND REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CAUCUS SYSTEM
Under Idaho’s open primary system, any voter participating in an Idaho primary election could vote on any party’s primary ballot. Democrats could vote the Republican primary ballot and Republicans could vote the Democrat ballot. Since all primary elections were “open” in this manner, voter registration with the county clerk’s office did not include a declaration or designation of party affiliation. Many Idaho citizens believe that because they are registered to vote, consider themselvesRepublicans, vote the Republican ballot in the primary election, etc., that they are “registered Republicans.”
But unless you have registered to vote since July 1, 2011 (the day the new Idaho Primary Election law went into effect) you are not a registered Republican.
As of July 1, a voter must be registered as a Republican in order to vote the Republican Ballot in the Idaho Primary Election. To do this, a person must fill out the new Idaho voter registration form and check “Republican” in the box now provided to declare political party affiliation. If you want to vote for Republican Primary candidates, please fill out the registration form (http://www.adaweb.net/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=Z6OgjetFeDI%3d&tabid=169), with all of the appropriate information filled in, sign and date it, and bring it with you to the caucus! (I talked with them today and they said I could fax it like I mentioned above). Note: We will have registration form at the door on Caucus night—March 6th
2012 Republican Presidential Caucus
To give Idaho Republicans greater influence in the Republican Presidential candidate nominating process, the Idaho Republican State Central Committee established the Idaho Republican Presidential Nomination Caucus. On Tuesday, March 6, 2012, each of Idaho’s 44 County Republican Parties will sponsor a county Republican Presidential Nomination Caucus.
The Ada County Republican Presidential Caucus will be held at the Taco Bell Arena on the BSU campus. Participants in this Idaho Republican Presidential Nomination Caucus will determine which presidential candidate the Idaho delegates to the Republican National Convention will be committed to casting their ballots for.
Only Registered Republicans will be able to participate in the Idaho Republican Presidential
Nomination Caucus on March 6, 2012, as well as the regular May 2012 Primary Election (for all but Presidential candidates).
Ada County Republican Presidential Caucus
Tuesday evening, March 6, 2012 Door open at 4:00pm
Taco Bell Arena
All eligible voters of Republican persuasion are encouraged to get registered as Republicans and participate in the upcoming 2012 Idaho Republican Presidential Nomination Caucus and Idaho Primary Election.
.JPG)
