I’ll give you an example from my caucus. The preference vote was split relatively evenly between Romney and Santorum. I think Romney ended up with one more vote than Santorum. Gingrich and Paul each got a couple of votes. Tom Tancredo was a write in by one person. We then selected our county assembly delegates. Of the county delegates 4 were for Romney and one for Tancredo - which certainly does not reflect the preference poll taken. Out of these county assembly delegates both the delegate and alternate to the state convention were Romney supporters. This is what I mean by “non-binding” The preference poll really did not reflect the delegate makeup.
I know of another precinct where the preference poll was overwhelmingly for Santorum. I believe that the delegates going on where split down the middle Romney/Santorum.
I’m just trying to explain how the process is in Colorado and that the delegates are not bound by the preference poll. In fact I have been to caucuses where those running do not even declare and are trusted to go and vote.
let me be more crude and blunt so the readers can understand my point.
we consider the straw poll portion to be useless, filthy garbage. The delegates are what a caucus is about and the delegates are GOLD.
The Santorum people at your caucus did not successfully participate in the caucus which is why they won NO delegates.
So it is wrong to say a caucus is non-binding. The straw vote is what is non-binding because it is not part of the CAUCUS. It is not “non-binding”, it is crap. We know that the delegates would not and could not be bound by crap. Same in Iowa. Same every where.
Review: A caucus is about delegates.
The straw poll is not part of the caucus. It is a useless side-show that is crap.