North Dakota GOP Caucus 2016: Online Straw Poll Under Way. The state party scrapped ...caucus

Across America Patch ^ | March 1, 2016 | Deb Belt

[Smokin' Joe]

The state party scrapped its traditional caucus after a conflict with the national Republican Party.

BISMARCK, ND — A rule conflict between North Dakota’s Republican party and the national GOP organization has effectively scrapped the state’s caucuses, planned for March 1.

Instead, an online straw poll is taking the pulse of North Dakotans. The GOP controls the statehouse and the governor’s office. In 2012, Republican nominee Mitt Romney carried the state in the general election. While the Republican National Committee requires delegates to be pledged on behalf of candidates to the national convention, the Fargo Forum reports the North Dakota GOP does not have a binding caucus.

Residents can vote online at ...

[Vigilanteman]

Moved away in 1988 . . . I did keep up my driver’s license for a few years afterward since I moved overseas. But I don’t have it anymore.

[campaignPete R-CT]

did you attend your ND caucus?
who is the delegate that you voted for?
what does the winner think of the candidates?

[campaignPete R-CT]

http://www.northdakotastrawpoll.com/

peeples in ND are voting in this unofficial poll

[Dr. Sivana]

I don’t like the caucus idea. I much prefer a straight vote by the voters. Less chance of hanky-panky.

That's fine in closed primary states, but in states like Georgia where there is no party registration, there is no way to keep non-Republicans from performing the hanky-panky.

[TontoKowalski]

I'm neither defending nor repudiating this view... I'm just pointing out...

From a state party perspective, open primaries are a way to attract more voters to the party. The rationale is "once we can get them pulling the R lever and investing themselves as Republicans, we have a shot at keeping them."

I know of no evidence to support this belief, nor do I have evidence that "shenanigans" associated with cross-over voting in primaries has any impact.

[Smokin' Joe]

There will be no caucus for the POTUS race this year.

We didn't vote for delegates, they will be selected at the State convention in Fargo (almost the opposite corner of the state).

The last Caucus was in 2012, and Santorum took first place. He had a ground game here, which made a difference.

[campaignPete R-CT]

The North Dakota Republican Party conducts caucuses in Legislative Districts to elect delegates to the State Convention. There is no Presidential preference vote.

did you attend your LD caucus?

[Impy]

An online poll? What’s the point of that? Trumpers will spam it, there will be more votes cast than there are people in North Dakota.