Dateline: March 20, 2008

Clinton leads in local caucus delegate count

New York Senator Hillary Clinton is leading Illinois Senator Barack Obama in the delegate count following local Democratic precinct caucuses on March 4.

Donley County Democratic Party Chair Jean Taylor said Clinton received nine delegates in the caucuses to Obama’s one delegate.

Those ten delegates will meet in the district courtroom at the Courthouse at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 29, to choose the one elected delegate who will represent Donley County at the state convention later this summer.

The caucuses, which followed the popular primary election, were held in several locations around the county; and the number of delegates were determined by the number of voters who attended the caucus and pledged their support to a particular candidate.

Clinton received one delegate in Precinct 101, two in Precinct 102, three each in Precincts 201 and 303, and two in Precinct 401. Obama’s lone delegate came from Precinct 401.

Taylor said turnout for the Democratic precinct caucuses “was fine” but added, “you still wish for better turnout.” She also said she thinks the caucus systems allows more people to get involved.

Precinct Democrats also approved five resolutions that will be voted on at the county convention. One deals with water, one calls for increased funding for community colleges, one seeks to abolish the Texas caucus system, one deals with children’s health insurance, and two pertain to renewable energy sources.

If approved by the ten delegates at the county convention, the resolutions will be forwarded to the state level where a committee will consider placing them before the state convention for ratification.

Those resolutions approved at the state level move to the national convention where they may be considered for inclusion in the national Democratic platform.

Taylor said the resolutions process is important because it gives people on the local level an opportunity to make a difference.

“Eight years ago a resolution from Wellington went all the way to the national platform,” Taylor said.

Next weekend’s county convention is open to the public, but only the elected delegates from the precincts will choose the county’s representative to the state convention and vote on the proposed resolutions, Taylor said.

The State Democratic Convention will be held in Austin June 6-7.

County Republicans combined their precinct and county conventions on March 4 following the primary election; and while the GOP doesn’t have the caucus system of their Democratic counterparts, they did recommend one resolution to be forwarded to their state convention in Houston this summer.

County GOP Chair Tom Stauder said the resolution calls for Texas to adopt a system that allows popular initiatives and referendums.