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| Utah Senator Orin Hatch (front) |
I've been a registered voter since I was 22 years old and have always voted in the general elections. However, much of the political process has already taken place before the general election. I never took the time to get involved in the complete political process or even try to understand it until this year.
Every state has their own process. In my home state, Utah, it all starts at a neighborhood level at the
Neighborhood Caucus. At the neighborhood caucus, a small area (precinct), meets together. Meetings can take place in the home of one of the members or at public buildings like schools or libraries. Anybody can attend a caucus meeting for any political party. If you want to vote at the caucus, you must be a registered member of that party. What exactly do the attendees at the meeting vote for? They vote for who will become delegates at both the state nominating convention and the county nominating convention. All those running for these delegate positions, must declare who they are planning on voting or for whom they are leaning toward. Attendees must decide which delegates closely match their political views.
I attended my first caucus meeting ever last month. I really wanted to become a delegate. My caucus meeting was very well attended and many others also wanted the open delegate positions. I missed by lack of votes in becoming a state delegate, but was chosen as a county delegate.
This is where the fun begins as a county delegate. My name was passed on to the candidates. My mailbox was immediately flooded with mailings from each candidate running on a county level. My phone rang almost every night and I was greeted with personal phone calls from the delegates. That is, when I chose to answer the phone. The best part, is that the candidates personally showed up on my doorstep and I had a chance to ask meaningful questions and find out where candidates stood on issues. I have never had a chance to vet the candidates so thoroughly. This is one of the things I like about the caucus and delegate system.
Next is the
Nominating Convention. Here the candidates give their speeches. Then the delegates votes. If any candidate gets more than 60% of the vote, the voting ends and that candidate will appear on the ballot in the general election to represent the party. If nobody gets 60% of the vote, then the top two candidates move on to a second round of voting. If, during the second round of voting, a candidate gets 60% of the vote, then the candidate will move onto the general election. If not, a primary election is held in which all registered party voters will decide the candidate to for the general election. The candidates and the parties do not like primary elections as they are costly and time consuming. As a delegate, I think it is the most fair to all registered voters to have a primary election. Otherwise, your voice is not heard unless you were lucky enough to become a delegate.
The most disturbing thing about this system is that the delegate can vote any way they want even if they told their neighbors one thing and change their mind later. The strongest thing about the system is that those voting really get a chance to know the candidates and aren't just blindly voting by party affiliation or a name that looks good on the ballot. The candidates with the most radical ideas, were vetted out before they made it to a primary election. This might anger those who are far out on their ideas as well, but for the majority of the people who sit somewhere in the middle, this was a good thing.
Though I didn't get to vote as a delegate on a state level for congress and senate representative, I did get to meet my state senator at the convention as well as those running for congress. That was helpful in shaping my opinion of who I would be voting for in the primary and general elections.
My county convention helped clear misconceptions about the party as well. I am a moderate voter who chooses the person whom I believe will best represent my state, regardless of party affiliation. However, I must register with a party to vote. Because my state is generally strong Republican and I lean right on fiscal issues, I registered as a Republican. I wanted to be sure the Republicans elect moderate candidates. One thing I learned from getting involved in the Republican party is that it is NOT a party against women. They love female candidates and encourage females to run for office. In the state of Utah, female candidates usually win the seat they run for. Sadly, few females actually trun. Never did I feel that the Republican Party was the party against women and I am very sensitive to that.
Mia Love made it out of the state convention as our first African American woman on a Republican ticket. Not only is it a first in our state, it will be a first in the nation if she is elected. Though I am not using this post to support any candidate, I am so proud of the Republican party in my state for their willingness to stand behind women.
I won't be voting a straight party ticket in the general election. I wasn't thrilled with my council choice from my area who came out victorious out of the convention. I know the Democratic candidate running for reelection has worked well in the state legislature. This is what makes being a voter so great. In the end, I get to vote my conscious and I would encourage all to do the same.
