Caucus & Assembly

Caucus

Who should attend?

If you support a specific candidate who is running in a contested race.

If you want to get more involved in the party by becoming a Precinct Committee Person (PCP)

If you want to learn how it works or simply cast a vote.

What is a caucus and who can participate?

Caucuses are the most grassroots of elections in the whole cycle. Interested individuals meet with their fellow party members from their precinct/neighborhood and elect each other as delegates to higher assemblies. Higher assemblies are County, State, and House/Senate/Congressional Districts. Many people attend caucus just to vote for certain delegates who are supporting certain candidates, or they attend as nothing more than a voter. Other people attend with the goal of being elected delegate or Precinct Committee Person (PCP). It’s not uncommon for candidates to work to garner support from delegates or plug their supporters in as delegates. It’s strategic, and a good strategy can be very effective at this most grassroots level.

Delegates will be responsible for voting to nominate candidates onto the primary ballot. Any candidate who finishes the caucus and assemblies with less than 10% of the delegate vote is out of the race completely. If they finish with 10-29% they can still petition on but only have a certain number of days to get it completed. Anyone who gets 30% or more of the delegate vote at caucus is automatically on the primary ballot.

Assemblies

Voting for candidates at assemblies helps ensure their name gets on the primary ballot. Only delegates, elected at Caucus, get to vote at assemblies.

Teller County requires you also attend the county assembly if you are a delegate to a higher assembly, such as state assembly, so make sure both dates are available if you plan to become a delegate. It’s at the assemblies where delegates vote for the candidates as well as party platform changes.