Caucus results and update reports....

[The empressof all]

I just got back from my South Snohomish County caucus. We have a very tiny precinct as my area is semi-rural. We had 26 in attendance. All five of our delegates went to Obama. Final vote was 24 Obama to 2 Clinton.

We had a large variety of ages and was pretty well split in gender make up. It was an extremely uplifting experience.

[yewberry]

1. Just got back from mine.

I'm in West Seattle, and we had 4 precincts at our caucus--about 350 people showed up. Very loud in the local elementary school gym! My precinct ended up with 8 delegates for Obama & 2 for Clinton--the others had similar counts.

Nice group. People were really excited and it was nice to see such a varied group come together.

[progressive_realist]

2. Seattle (Capitol Hill) reporting

My precinct had four delegates for Obama and two for Clinton. My friend's went four for Obama and one for Clinton.

:woohoo:

[FVZA_Colonel]

4. You were at Seattle Central Community College then?

Mine had six total, 5 for Obama and 1 for Clinton.

[progressive_realist]

22. I was indeed.

A little chaotic, but fairly well organized considering. My group was very polite. We had some discussion, but it was obvious no one was going to be changing sides. The Clinton camp tried, and most of the Obama camp just stared at them like they were space aliens. Almost everyone was well-informed, and every point anyone tried to make on either side was shot down. So we just picked our delegates and went home.

[BringEmOn]

3. Spokane Northeast 6-5 Clinton

[uppityperson]

5. Nordland: Clinton 1, Obama 7, Uncommited 1

127 present (standing room only)

9 delegates to be elected

Candidate, number of votes (first round), number of delegates (second
and final round)

Clinton 19, 1
Obama 94, 7
Edwards 1, 0
Kucinich 3, 0
uncommitted 10, 1

[DB1]

6. Just got back as well. 63 precincts in one location.

It was very crowded. Turnout was huge. One Clinton supporter felt it was about 3 to 1 for Obama. I thought it was closer, more like 3 to 2 Obama. Clinton supporters all had the same thing going, experience and connections. I reviewed Obamas Key arena speech for people and got 3 undecideds to vote Obama so I had a good day. Everyone there was happy to support either Obama or Clinton in the general. It was not like DU discussions. Very passionate and civil at the caucus.

[fortyfeetunder]

7. delete.

dupe

[fortyfeetunder]

8. Big crowd...

caucus place -- twice as many showed up as last caucus, place was packed. A good mix of generations.
My district was 2:1 in favor of Obama. It lasted less than 90 minutes.

[LisaM]

9. 46th District (Maple Leaf), Precinct 2373

We had 126 people. It was a very frustrating and demoralizing experience. First, we had close to 1000 people between all of the precincts. I expected it to be heavy for Obama, and it was (I am going for Hillary). It was noisy, there were no where near enough seats, and it was completely disorganized.

When it came time to speak "for" the candidates, a woman I know (back fence neighbor) who originally supported Edwards jumped up. The first thing she said was, "I support Obama because people HATE Clinton. They just hate her. Maybe it isn't fair, but they do!" She then went on and made the obligatory comments about bipartisanship, hope, change, blah blah blah.

Next, an older woman stood up and said, "you shouldn't have said that. It's not right". Original person didn't care; just laughed. The older woman spoke about legislation, experience, etc.

Then another woman stood up and said, "All my relatives are in the "heartland" - Georgia, Indiana, and Illinois. People there just hate the Clintons. They detest them, they'd never vote for them". Then she said, "what about Monica Lewinsky and the blue dress?" At that point, I'd had it and I shouted out, "we're voting for Hillary, not Bill!" Honestly. It was really a negative experience. What if I'd jumped up and said that I keep getting the Muslim email sent to me by conservatives I know and that we should vote based on that? (I didn't). One very nice young man did get up and address an actual issue and I thanked him for not using the hate word. I was visibly upset; a woman came over to try and comfort me a little while I just listened to this garbage.

I felt marginalized and railroaded the whole time. Worse, our final count was Obama 95, Hillary 20, Uncommitted 10, and Edwards 1. This somehow translated into 7 delegates for Obama, 1 for Hillary, and 1 for uncommitted, which is also not proportionate, since Obama did not outpoll Hillary 7-1, and she had twice as many votes as uncommitted.

The system is NOT democratic, it is NOT fair, and it favors whomever can shout the loudest. I intend to make my views known to the Washington State Democratic party. It's insane and if Obama walks away with 7 times as many delegates as Hillary, then I hope the super delegates do swing it her way.

[flamingyouth]

20. That's too bad that people were so contentious.

We had opposing views at our caucus but people were very cordial and clapped after every person spoke. We were at least united in getting rid of the jackass GOP.

My parents are really unhappy with the caucus system because they're disabled and going to a crazy caucus like this is very difficult for them (they went in 2004). They're upset because their primary vote doesn't count. My mom's really mad about it and plans on complaining too.

[rhett o rick]

26. We need to change the caucus system and the super-duper-delegate system

Everyone at my caucus were passionate but polite.

[LisaM]

27. I wondered about disabled people

It would have been virtually impossible for a disabled person (particularly a deaf person) to participate. The building is accessible, but there was nowhere for wheelchairs, and I did not see a sign language interpreter.

[Buzz cook]

10. Kamiak High School Snohomish county

My precinct went 4 Obama 1 Clinton. Lots and lots of people at the caucus but only ten in my precinct.
There were people still trying to find parking when we started choosing delegates. The volunteers were over whelmed.
Everyone was very up beat and positive. The usual on-line bickering between Hillary supporters and Obama supporters was notable by its absence.
I'd guess Obama supporters out numbered Clinton 2 to 1.

I'm looking forward to the county and district caucus.

[Carigal]

11. Kitsap County

We had 450 or so total at our caucus - three times what they
had last year.  We had quite a few different precincts
represented.  Our little group of 27 ended up with 4 delegats
for Obama and 1 for Hillary.  People were mixed but mostly
middle aged and older.  Everyone was excited and felt that
they were part of somehing big going on in this Country. It
was great and my sister decided to be a delegate.  I loved
being there.   

[rhett o rick]

18. Welcome to DU. Were you at Mountain View Middle School by any chance?

We had about that number total there. In our caucus we had 6 delegates 4 for Obama (including myself) and 2 for Clinton.

[Carigal]

24. Yes - Mt View Middle School

We were getting worried when no one was there to open the door until 12:45. I can certainly see how voters would feel if they were not able to vote.

[rhett o rick]

25. I got there just as the doors were opening. I am in 165, can I ask which caucus dist. you are in?nm

[ArmchairActivist]

12. Olympia/Lacey area

Lacey/Olympia area here, specifically Lacey, in my case.

Our location had three precincts meeting with right around 65-70 dems per precinct. The ratios were about the same for each of the three precincts, a little less than 60-40 Obama.

Of the 15 delegates we awarded, two of the precincts split evenly, and the one 5-delegate precinct went 3-2 Obama. Altogether 8-7 Obama in terms of delegates.

It should be noted that this took place in a 'retirement community', I guess you'd call it, and the vast, vast majority of dems in attendance were over 60. (My wife was easily the youngest person in the room, and she's 35. I was probably in the youngest 4 or 5 and I clock in at 42)

Also, it should be noted that unlike reports from other states I've seen on these here internets, there was no bickering, no squabbling, no backstabbing, and only a wee little bit of blathering.

My sense is that most voters like both of these candidates very much, and that preferences are nowhere as extreme or well defined as it sometimes seems if you spend a lot of time online.

What else did I take away from this year's caucus? Huge, huge, huge numbers of voters absolutely cannot wait to be rid of Bush and the GOP. WE CANNOT WAIT!

Yeah!

(Cross posted this at another blog, just happened to have it saved on my clipboard and it was easy to add to this thread.)

Edit: fix html...

[MikeNearMcChord]

13. From the 29th district

We had a large crowd that overwhelmed the auditorium at Clover Park Technical College, well represented. My precinct went 9 for Obama, 1 for Hillary. I would say that whoever is the eventual nominee, they will get great support from the 29th, grassroots at its best. Oh yes I will be a delegate at the County caucuses.

[uppityperson]

14. Small precinct near Port Townsend 14 O, 4 C, 1 K. eom

[countryjake]

15. Our tiny rural precinct in Eastern Skagit split evenly...

First vote:

1 uncommitted
2 Kucinich
12 Clinton
14 Obama


During the "let me sway you" phase, one person who had been down to the Key to hear Obama stood up and gave a very good summation of his speech and the sheer enthusiasm of the crowd in attendance, but she didn't really present anything on his positions on the issues, aside from the standard "hope/change" meme. (and a couple of Hill slams)

Then our precinct co-chair was asked to offer something in the way of Obama's view on bringing the troops home, but all he could do was compare Hillary's famous IWR vote to Obama's "home in 2009" stance, as tho somehow what she did was a thousand times worse than Obama's current position. The issue of healthcare was presented the same way, with only negatives in comparison to the Clinton position and the guy was reminded that his time was up just as he began to invoke the "mandatory insurance/wage garnishment" terror of Hillary's slate.

Then a fellow who introduced himself as a 68-yr old who had lived for years in Canada stood up and said that the only way this nation of ours would ever be able to move toward a bona-fide "universal healthcare plan" was if it tried a taxpayer-supported mandatory insurance, tapped into the same sources that cover every single one of our congress-people and federal employees, which could weaken and eventually eliminate the middleman grip the insurance companies currently hold. He claimed that the process took a little time to accomplish successfully in Canada, but it was now far superior to anything offered in this country. And that was his simple reason for supporting and voting for Hillary Clinton, as her plan came the closest to helping to keep his sickly and diabetic wife alive, without literally bankrupting their family.

At that point, the one man who was uncommitted decided for Sen. Clinton, which I believe was a direct result of what we had all just heard from the Obama supporters and the older fellow concerned about health care.

Being one of the Kucinich holdouts, I then spoke to the issue of the need to hold the criminals-in-charge accountable for their crimes, stating that I didn't see exactly how "reaching across the aisle" could ever accomplish that, and how I wasn't nearly so concerned with "hope/change" as was my desire for flat-out revenge on the warmongers who are attempting to lead my country onward to fascism and sending us working people into a state of absolute desperation.

I said that I surely hoped my man and I wouldn't be waterboarded as "suspected insurgents" someday, just for our support of Cong. Kucinich and his "radical democratic ideals". This got the tables talking, for sure. Seems as tho many had reluctantly given up on backing Dennis and both Barak and Hillary were now their second and for some, their third choices. (lots of Edwards folk, too)

The other precinct co-chair then came over to us and said that processes were in motion to see that damage to our Constitution would be undone, that nobody was as eager to see "accountability" for those "assholes" as Sen. Clinton, but it takes much "persuasive talking" and "civil strategy" in government halls and mainly, it requires a position of power with that precise objective as the goal. She assured us all that nobody in this nation had suffered as many personal and political attacks from the rightwing as Hillary Clinton had, or cared more deeply for the democratic ideals which I'd mentioned and if she were elected, we would see the type of "proper revenge" so many Democrats were itching for. Getting the Republicans out of the White House was the first order of business, to that end.

I then got out my clothespin and caved to the nice fixy lady who actually swore right there in our high school cafeteria.


Second & final vote:
15 Clinton
14 Obama


We left before the rest of the precincts (nine more) in the room had finished, so I have no idea what the general outcome might have been, out of about three hundred folk.

[ptvet]

16. Port Townsend

2000 people attended, felt like 2029! ;)
Obama won 180 delegates, Clinton 56.

[ginantonic40]

17. Rural Olympic Penninsula

Caucused with 8 precincts of rural Sequim. I estimated that 500 to 600 people showed up. Typical Democratic chaos. Inexperienced precinct chair. My precinct split 4 delegates - 2 Obama 2 Clinton.

As I scanned the crowd I was struck by the obvious absense of 18 - 30 year olds. It is Sequim, but still...

First lady I talked to at our table said she couldn't vote for Obama because of the Koran/flag salute thing. Even after her fellow Clinton voters explained to her that that was bullshit, she left the caucus still believing it. Well, it is Sequim, but still...

[flamingyouth]

19. 43rd District

We couldn't fit into Montlake Elementary; they sent six precincts (including ours) to the Montlake Community Center. One precinct had to meet on the tennis courts outside! Luckily, our precinct got to stay inside the old Tudor building. We had to leave early but the final tally was 5 delegates for Obama, one for Clinton in our precinct. I have no idea how many people were there. It was a mob scene.

This was my first time voting in this precinct. In 2004 and 2000 I went to Seattle Central and that was busy too but this was just crazy. The people there today said this was about twice as many people as in previous years. I was struck by how many more young people there were this year than in previous elections. But all in all, a great variety of ages and it was wonderful. Very glad we went.

[eridani]

21. Beverly Park school, 11th LD

I was a caucus convener, overseeing 10 precints, 7 of which had no PCOs. I was running my tail off helping the new volunteer chairs and tally clerks through the process. (I did at least sign in for uncommitted--two of our 11th LD conveners were so busy that they didn't get around to signing in at their own precincts.)

Attendance was well up from 2004, by roughly a factor of three. My precinct went from 11 in 2004 to 35 this time. The biggest increase was in Sylvan precinct--one attendee in 2004 and 50 this time.

I asked for three volunteers to address the whole body for each candidate, but got volunteers for only Clinton and Obama. I spoke a brief word for every other candidate, including Kucinich and Uncommitted. I got some cheering for Kucinich from the room, which reminded me of the Labor debate where Kucinich got all the standing ovations but none of the endorsements. I pointed out that Uncommitted delegates would be in the position of asking for more from both Clinton and Obama, but of course did not have time to advocate that at a person to person level in my own precinct. All the delegates were either for Clinton or Obama, and only one precinct even needed a second round of tallying. Like the rest of the state, it was about 2/3 for Obama.

There were remarkably few snafus--about seven people that I had to send to another location, and about that many who started out signing in at the wrong precinct and had to change. When our conveners met to do the final tally, we checked the math for delegate allocation and found no errors. Thank heavens they eliminated that 15% thing--it made things so much easier for the newbies.

[Pierzin]

23. Ballard representin' 3-2 Obama

This was my very first caucus, and it was really interesting.
I am so glad that I went. Whether Clinton or Obama becomes the nominee, either one will be far better than any GOP candidate! Those people are delusional.
One person who couldnt wait for Hillary to run I found out voted for Obama because she said Hillary was too polarizing and we needed to move forward and being people together.

It was in a church and it was very loud so I had trouble hearing(no i am not old and not hard of hearing), which was a bummer, but it was great to hear people lobbying for Obama. Woot!