Posted on 01/18/2008 2:41:32 PM PST by mommya
January 18, 2008 3:10 pm EST
ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA – Today, the Ron Paul 2008 campaign is calling on the Nevada State Republican Party to re-examine multiple inconsistencies in the Nevada Caucus process, and to consider postponing the caucus, which is scheduled for Saturday, January 19.
“The inconsistencies, errors and multiple changes in the rules reek of playing politics with the what should be a neutral process,” said Ron Paul 2008 campaign manager Lew Moore. “The people of Nevada deserve to know exactly what the rules are and to know that those rules are being fairly enforced. This has not happened up to this point, and the caucus appears to be in chaos.”
The problem of multiple rule changes is being compounded by other inconsistencies and errors in the process. Many Nevada Republicans have received postcards with incorrect information about their caucus location, and the Nevada GOP website had incorrect caucus locations listed as late as Wednesday, January 16.
Additionally, one or more county chairs have expressed concerns over an insufficient number of ballots, and the Ron Paul campaign has heard reports that rural counties are short of ballots, while Clark County precincts were given what is regarded as far too many ballots.
The Ron Paul campaign has learned that the Nevada Republican Party has changed the rules for eligibility requirements for caucusing three times since January 9. Last summer when the January 19 caucus was set, the Nevada GOP announced that caucus would be closed and only for Republicans who had registered by December 19.
On January 10, 2008, a caucus director for the Nevada Republican Party reversed the earlier policy and anounced a new standard by stating that any person who asserts that they are a registered Republican in the precinct but cannot be found in the voter rolls that the Republican party has, would be able to participate if they signed an affidavit attesting to the fact that they were a registered Republican. Then, on January 15 the Ron Paul campaign received communication from the state party that the affidavits would not be used.
However, on January 17 the policy was changed for a third time, as the state party announced that affidavits would be in use throughout the state, subject to the discretion of county central committees and chairs.
The Nevada Republican Party is changing the rules from week to week, and currently the rules will not even be uniform across the state, as eligibility rules may differ from county to county.
Given the caucus location confusion – with potential caucus participants not knowing where to go – and the new rule effectively allowing anyone to get a ballot, the Ron Paul campaign is concerned that the confusion surrounding the caucus will both disenfranchise voters and make the election particularly susceptible to vote fraud.
C-O-R-R-U-P-T-I-O-N of the causcussing process.
Looks like the Ron Paul people are searching for something to blame for Paul not doing well in Nevada.
ping
Well, bearing in mind this is a Paul press release, we don’t have any reason to believe any of the comments describing the process.
If the Nevada GOP is comfortable with their procedures, and the GOP voters in Nevada are comfortable with their procedures , then what’s the problem?
Pretty much any candidate whose internal polls show a defeat in an election will want it postponed.
“Looks like the Ron Paul people are searching for something to blame for Paul not doing well in Nevada.”
Yep
The changing of caucus sites, while troubling, does not concern me as much as the part about "However, on January 17 the policy was changed for a third time, as the state party announced that affidavits would be in use throughout the state, subject to the discretion of county central committees and chairs."
What does this mean? When will they decide - prior to the caucus? Or will they wait till caucus time and say there are too many supporters of so-and-so signing the affadavits - so they won't be accepted.
Just seems like a mess to me. How is a voter supposed to have any confidence?
The situation sounds less like a “caucus”, and more like “cock-and-bull”.
He’s put a lot into Nevada for a couple of months now. Here in Elko Paul signs are plastered everywhere and he is doing radio commercials during Rush’s show. I think they’re worried. I seriously know of no Conservatives here that are even considering him. Now Las Vegas and Reno.......
Re: Ron Paul, I believe that he will actually do relatively well. I have probably received at least one to three pieces of campaign literature a week from him for the past several months. Ron Paul has his homemade looking “Ron Paul Revolution” signs plastered all over town. His radio commercials too have run nonstop for months. They do a good job of making him sound so “mainstream” and so “reasonable” that I expect many people who do not check further will not realize that he is actually the Dennis Kucinich (whom he said he would support if not in the race) of the Republican Party. In contrast to Ron Paul, I have only received a few pieces of literature from Mitt, and none from the others. I think I have heard some Mitt ads on the radio or TV.
You cannot set aside your feelings about him enough to look at what is going on in the GOP caucus? Truly bizarre. This will affect all republican votors not just those who are for Paul.
http://www.lasvegassun.com/blogs/ralstons-flash/2008/jan/16/rural-county-gop-boss-rips-state-party/
Well others are complaining too.
I can look at the caucuses and agree their are some troubling things. I get that. I just have hard time keeping my mouth shut on any thread that involves Paul. The guy is a nut!!!!!!!!!
I live near Reno. The party sent me a caucus notice with the wrong location. I don’t think this is a Paul issue. I think it reflects badly on the party. I received a corrected notice yesterday but not everyone gets their mail every day out here in the sticks. I, for instance, live 5 miles from my mailbox on a snow-covered and muddy road and only check my mail twice a week. This is not unusual here.
Bill
All of the mistakes regarding location have been by the Reps. I have gotten THREE different locations at the three corners of town. The reps are screwed up - as usual.
I understand that Ron Paul is running his Nevada campaign from Rachael, Nevada. This in Area 54 country.
What is area 54?
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