Posted on 02/16/2016 11:11:23 AM PST by alicewonders
COVINGTON, Ky. (Joe Webb) - Kentucky's registered Republicans will have to do a little extra work this election season, thanks to U.S. Senator Rand Paul.
The Republican Party of Kentucky took the presidential primary off the May ballot so Senator Paul could legally run for both president and United States Senator. In March 2016, Kentucky Republicans will caucus to determine how candidates split up the 46 delegates to the Republican National Convention.
"The caucuses are being held on March 5th which is a Saturday," said Kenton County Republican Chairman Greg Shumate. "They are being held statewide from 10 a.m. to 4 o'clock in the afternoon."
Each county will host its own caucus in one location. Kenton County Republicans will caucus at Summit View School in Independence. Campbell County Republicans will meet Campbell County High School . The Boone County GOP will vote at Florence Baptist Church on Mt. Zion Road.
Most voters Local 12 News spoke with Tuesday, Feb. 2, were unaware of the changes made to accommodate Paul's dual candidacy.
Pam Grone of Villa Hills was expecting to cast her vote in May, "I just thought we'd vote in the same place we usually do at the city building. No?"
The caucus format is being implemented for this election cycle only. It's costing the Republican Party of Kentucky about $500,000 to pull it off but Senator Paul is paying about half of the cost. Unlike conventional elections, campaigns will be allowed on the sites. They will not be allowed to interact with voters in the designated voting area. Republicans are calling it a caucus but the format is much different than the presidential caucuses in Iowa.
"You're going to have to bring your photo ID and sign in," said Shumate. "You will be ushered into the voting room. Your ballot will look just like a regular ballot. You're going to color in the blank, scan the ballot and the results will be tabulated at the end of the day."
Democrats will vote for president and other offices on the ballot during the traditional primary May 17. Republicans will vote in May for all offices other than president. Shumate estimates the caucus turnout will be half what it normally is for primary elections.
For more information on the caucuses CLICK HERE.
It all depends on keeping turnout as low as possible. If Trump and Cruz can’t get their voters out, but Bush or Rubio can, then Bush or Rubio will take a larger proportion of the vote.
Again, the way I see it is that all the campaigns see it as being to their advantage to keep turnout low and mitigate against wildcards. Understand that this is a gamble all are taking.
You do not understand how it works in this Commonwealth.
This is NOT going to be a boost to anyone NOT an Establishment pick- because virtually the ONLY bunch of folks who are stoked and plugged into this caucus event ARE TEAM MITCH’S POLITICAL MACHINE.
Most grassroots Conservatives are NOT going to be turning out for this caucus on a Saturday afternoon with a KY Wildcat game scheduled that afternoon. Not . Gonna. Happen.
The only ones turning out - are going to be the Establishment Party hacks and they will vote for whomever the Ruling Class is pushing - even if it is to damage the outsiders. Count on it.
Team Mitch handed him his Senate Seat despite his massive unpopularity in this state. Machine politics made that possible, and the Machine is the only thing working the Caucus event that MOST of the average Joe GOP is totally clueless about.
I found this Q&A about the caucus. It says you don’t have to stay all day. Just check in and vote. You can get info about the candidates if you wish. Leave when you’re done. It also has anteractive map of voting sites. Spread the word to your Kentucky Republican friends. It takes 5% statewide to win any delegates. http://www.kycaucus.com/kentucky-caucus-frequently-asked-questions/
Thanks for the info - but sadly, I am out of state that date at an engagement I was booked for long before they decided to change our primary date.
I can tell you that the foremost question everyone asks when talking about this is if we have people pestering us about their candidate when we arrive. Few to none are interested in being badgered by political operatives before they vote. Aside from the date they chose and the surprise most discover about the change of their normal voting precincts, none of us are interested in being electioneered. I predict a very low turnout.
I expect there will be low turnout also, as most primaries and caucus are which is why each vote is so important. There probably will be some electioneering as each candidate can have a manned info table set up, but definitely not the haranguing of the Democrat Iowa caucus.
Thanks for the info Betty Jane.
INVAR is right - this benefits the Mitch McConnell Establishment Machine. If internal polling showed that HIS establishment candidates were ahead in Kentucky - they’d be shouting this from the rooftops to get everybody out to vote. I don’t think that’s the case, however, and thus the under the radar approach.
That’s the way things roll here in Mitch’s state.
I expect there will be low turnout also, as most primaries and caucus are which is why each vote is so important. There probably will be some electioneering as each candidate can have a manned info table set up, but definitely not the haranguing of the Democrat Iowa caucus.
“No it wasn’t, and I’ve been following this situation for over a year now through family and friends who live in KY.
It was established to protect Paul’s Senate seat. Nothing more, nothing less. Yes, the deal was cut with McConnell’s blessing, but well before the current dynamics of the race emerged.”
This is true. However, efforts of the Republican Party in Kentucky to get information out about this change have been almost non-existent. In that respect, the GOP is playing with the rights of the voters to their advantage and it’s deplorable. You can bet they have made sure the information has gotten to those that they deem important, making them a number much more likely to show up and stack the vote.
Perhaps the reason is that the party finds depressed turnout to be to the party's advantage.
The way I read the article, it is like voting, just in a different location. It is called “caucus” because the voting is run by the party, not by the state.
I would guess your state and locality has party caucuses to select officers and consider platform proposals. They just don’t have a presidential preference vote at the same time.
The Iowa GOP caucuses have a secret ballot for presidential preference, just like a primary.
If everyone on FR was involved in their local GOP, the situation now wouldn’t be so dire. The number of people who are party activists required to take local control is actually quite small.
“Perhaps the reason is that the party finds depressed turnout to be to the party’s advantage.”
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That’s what I’m thinking.
“If everyone on FR was involved in their local GOP, the situation now wouldn’t be so dire. The number of people who are party activists required to take local control is actually quite small.”
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That’s the crux of it, isn’t it? I’m guilty myself, always tell myself I’m too busy and leaving it to someone else to do. I’m going to have to rethink that.
It’s probably more of a philosophical question than anything else. Who’s responsible for getting GOP voters to the caucus: the Party, or the individual candidates?
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