What is a caucus anyway?A caucus is a basically a community meeting, where community members gather in the same location to declare their preference for President. Voters gather by precinct and elect a certain number of delegates to represent their preferred candidate at the next level caucus. You will meet with neighbors and sign a form declaring your choice for president. It doesn’t cost anything, and you don’t have to give a speech. A typical caucus only lasts about an hour. When and where is the caucus?Saturday, February 9th at 1pm. Your caucus will be near your neighborhood in a public place like a school, church, or senior center. To find your caucus go to our caucus locater or call our office at (206) 529-3859. Because the Democratic Party has changed many of these locations fairly late and have not always promptly updated their information, it is best to double-check with your local legislative district party organization. You can find their e-mails and phone numbers at this site. How are delegates selected?Delegates are selected in proportion to the numbers of each preference group. You don't need to worry about the exact math--just keep in mind that the candidate with the most supporters gets the most delegates. How long does the caucus last?A typical caucus lasts about an hour. I'm an independent (or Republican). I can't caucus, can I?As a matter of fact, you can. There is no party registration in Washington. Upon signing in at the caucus you will need to attest that you are a Democrat to participate, but you can switch your affiliation just for Caucus Day. You can be an Independent, Republican, Green, Libertarian or anything else the next day. I'm not registered to vote in my new residence (or I've never registered to vote). I can't caucus, can I?Again, yes you can caucus. You can register to vote at the caucus itself. A voter registration form acts as a change of address form if you are already registered. You can print out a voter registration form and bring it with you, in case your caucus location should run out. I'm 17, but will be 18 by Election Day in November. Can I caucus?Yes. Because you are selecting the nominee for an election that you will be able to participate in, you are allowed to caucus. If you’ll turn 18 by Tuesday, November 4, 2008, you can participate in the caucus. Do I need to bring ID to the caucus?No. By signing in or registering to vote you are attesting that you are who you say you are. We don't encourage anyone to deliberately leave their ID at home, but you cannot be excluded simply because you don't have ID (or because your driver's license has an old address). Can I vote absentee in the caucus?No. There is no mail-in ballot – you must be present to have your vote counted. However, there is an exemption made for three circumstances: Saturday religious observance, military service, or physical disability. Contact our office about the surrogate affidavit form and the requirements: (206) 529-3859. In most instances the deadline for these forms has already passed.
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