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.
They don’t allow cross-over votes - you have to have registered Republican in December 2015 to be able to vote in the primary. I don’t understand why the Kentucky Republican Party did not send letters to their registered voters notifying us of the change with instructions on how to caucus. I only know about it from a postcard today with no information on how to do this and I am not a LIV - that’s why I’m so angry about it.
Rather ironic considering that Rand Paul, for whose benefit the caucus was created, has already dropped out of the race. A very costly and futile effort on the part of Sen. Paul.
It seems rather haphazard, but I can understand them making the decision for the favored son.
As you say, now it's a bit of a mess.
This was pushed via Team Mitch to specifically kill the Cruz and Trump momentum in KY, because only serious Party hacks and politicos are expected to show up at the Caucuses, which are being held in different places than we normally have our voting.
Average Joe Republicans are not going to show up for these, and given these are going to be on a Saturday - less than HALF of the normal GOP base is going to show up.
I cannot show up that day either - and it is something the Ruling Class Establishment was counting on.
“This was pushed via Team Mitch to specifically kill the Cruz and Trump momentum in KY, because only serious Party hacks and politicos are expected to show up at the Caucuses, which are being held in different places than we normally have our voting.
Average Joe Republicans are not going to show up for these, and given these are going to be on a Saturday - less than HALF of the normal GOP base is going to show up.
I cannot show up that day either - and it is something the Ruling Class Establishment was counting on.”
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I couldn’t agree more - my thoughts EXACTLY!
I thought I was angry before - but I am livid now!
This reeks of Mitch McConnell’s dirty handprints!
Recall that Rand endorsed Mitch in 2012 and went to war on his behalf against Bevin and the KY Tea Party.
The caucus is a back scratch from Team Mitch for Rand so he could circumvent the rules and run for BOTH the Senate AND the presidency and once again neuter and render irrelevant, the Conservatives in the Commonwealth so that the Ruling Class Candidate for President will get a leg up here.
I do not buy the insipid commentary from the GOP leaders in this state that insist that having a GOP caucus in March is better for KY to have an influence in the choice of a nominee, considering that most of the base will not be participating - BY DESIGN.
Having a “caucus” in places outside of our normal voting precincts (mostly in County Seats) on a Saturday is self-evident that it’s the Establishment that intends to steer KY to make the choice the Ruling Class wants.
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.
I’ve talked to some of my friends and neighbors and none of them are aware of the change! I posted it on my Facebook page and have only gotten one share so far. People just aren’t paying attention right now - I’ve seen NO signs and NO polls - and the caucus is TWO and HALF WEEKS from now!
I am a disenfranchised voter.
As above, the KY “republican” insiders wanted to support “their” RINO, but now are seeing this effort as helping Bush, Rubio and the other republican insiders: It is ANTI-Trump crossover voters, anti-Cruz campaigners and supporters.
Kentucky vs. LSU March 5, 2PM. Not going to help the turnout.
Should read LSU vs. Kentucky since the game is at Rupp Arena.
I don’t understand the caucus process. I read that candidate campaigns can be there, but they can’t interact with voters? Is this something that takes longer than just running in, voting and leaving?
Well I live here and almost NO average folks around these parts whom I know who are registered Republicans know about this caucus or where to go ‘vote’. Almost all of them have said they do not plan on going the moment I tell them it is on a Saturday.
Only those in the Party machine seem to be aware of and excited about the caucus. The Party Machine being most of the cretins of Team Mitch.
I have the exact-same experience with those I know here. Few-to-none are interested and most of the Trump supporters seem to be Registered Democrats and not eligible.
Once folks learn that the caucus is not just showing up for ten minutes, casting a ballot and leaving, but will be subject to electioneering and campaigners, all of them, including myself are turned off and have said they wouldn’t be going even if it were on the usual Tuesday at their usual precinct place.
This whole thing serves the Mitch McConnell Ruling Class.
Same for my neck of the woods. And the grand irony that this stupidity was set up for Rand Paul’s benefit - who dropped out of the race - but OH! HE will still be on the regular ballot in May where everyone will see it. It was the presidential race they had to muck up!
And they wonder why people are so angry...
Sure, thats probably the case in terms of actual execution, since Paul is out of the Presidential race.
But keep in mind that voter lists, which include party affiliation, are available to all the candidates and not just the party. Cruz and Trump have access to those lists.
The individual candidates are, at the end of the day responsible for turning out their own supporters.
The way I see it, right now anyways, is that the KY caucuses are flying so far under the radar that all the campaigns, including Trump and Cruz, see an advantage in keeping turnout as low as possible and then using data-driven methods to try to get as many of their known/well defined supporters to the polls, hoping that the other campaigns won’t do as well as them.
Also, keeping knowlege of the caucuses suppressed, suppressing general turnout, reduces the possibility of a really big wildcard: undecided voters
showing up.
Of course it could just be that the campaigns consider KY to be small pickings and not worth a big turnout effort.
The caucus format only helps Trump and Cruz. How are you going to get Jebio or Kay-sick voters to actually make an extra effort to vote?
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