All precincts but one or two filled their delegate slots (one precinct, Happy Valley, was unrepresented) and a few filled their alternate lists. I'm not sure if I've seen that before.
This was also the most low-key caucus I've seen. Usually tempers get running a little high over something or another, but not this time. Nobody seemed to want to start a discussion over anything.
One couple had gone to the Democrat caucus by mistake, at a nearby school. They reported the parking lot full and cars all up & down the street...
I thought we were going to discuss the candidates, discuss the issues, and agree as a precinct who the precinct was for. Nope, not what happened.
Basically, we just “elected” delegates (pretty much whoever volunteered) from our precinct and they get to vote for whomever they want and can change that vote at any time. I thought we were going to be electing “representatives” that would then carry forward the wishes of the precinct as a whole. Nope.
So, in other words, unless you are able to commit the time and money to attend the county and state conventions (I can't, I'm going to be out of the country), you have no (zero, zip, nada) say in who the delegates from your precinct are going to be voting for.
I came ready to express my displeasure with the party for this eff’d up 50/50 system we have in this state, ready to discuss why John McCain is not the best choice, and ready to express why I think we should still vote for Romney. I thought there'd be at least some support for Romney, I never even heard his name mentioned.
It was a club get together (just like last time) with a pre-determined outcome, and I’ll not participate again.
I’d like to hear how other caucuses went because mine was sure a load of crap.