Texas is the Only State Where you get to Vote Twice

LIVINGSTON, February 23, 2008 - We as Texans are in the most unique and important position that we have been in for decades and it’s important that you consider this once in a lifetime opportunity to make your voice heard.

The reason that this opportunity doesn’t come around very often is that the Primary Elections in Texas are held in March long after the Presidential Candidates for office are normally decided. It is common by March that one candidate will have already secured enough delegates to be the obvious winner, after the early primaries, caucuses and super Tuesday. But this year is different and we as Texans need to make the most of this golden opportunity.

Texas with it’s large number of delegates to the Democratic Convention to by held in Denver this year will play a pivotal role in this year’s election and the rest of this article will be devoted to telling you, the average voter, how you can influence the outcome.

You may recall from national news coverage earlier this year that states, such as Iowa, have caucuses. Other states have Primary Elections. But, here in Texas we have a sort of hybrid way of doing things. In a sense we do both.

Remembering that Presidential Candidates are chosen by delegates, delegates are what’s important, not necessarily the popular vote. We will hold Primary Elections on March 4, 2008 and 65% of Texas delegates to the National Convention will be chosen by that popular vote. The remaining 35% of Texas delegates begin the process of being chosen at Precinct Conventions.

This makes it possible for a Presidential Candidate running in the Primary Elections in Texas to receive fewer votes in the election and yet wide up with more delegates. And, the number of delegates is what determines the nominee at the National Convention.

Watching a news video on i-dineout.com the other day former President Clinton, campaigning for his wife, Hillary Clinton said, “Texas is the only state in the Union where you get to vote twice!” He’s right, and I knew very few people in that large audience in San Antonio understood his meaning.

He’s talking about Precinct Conventions and the fact that 35% of the Delegates to the National Convention are determined by Precinct Conventions, which the talking heads on National TV News have coined Prima-Caucuses, a new word. A Precinct Convention does share some similarity to a Caucus like are held in other states. However, in Texas each political party holds their own caucuses, and each political party has their own rules that govern Precinct Conventions.

Since all of this is important because of the contested race for the White House in the Democratic Party we’ll confine the article to way the Democratic Party will conduct their Precinct Conventions.

A Precinct Convention has three basic purposes. First, to determine by expressing a preference the number of delegates from the Precinct Convention that will be in support of each of the Presidential candidates. Second to elect delegates to represent those candidates and the voters of the precinct at the Democratic Party County Convention to be held on March 29, 2008.  Third, to vote on any resolutions submitted by people attending the Precinct Convention. Those resolutions that pass will be taken up at the County Convention as well.

Below are the basics of the Precinct Conventions and why they are so important.

The Precinct Conventions are held promptly at 7:15 PM on March 4, 2008. This is also Election Day.

The Precinct Conventions are held at the Precinct where you vote on Election Day. That means there will be one Precinct Convention held on election night in Polk County for each voting precinct.

Any registered voter who has voted in the Democratic Primary during early voting or on Election Day can attend the Precinct Convention in their voting precinct. Remember you must prove this and the best way to do that is to bring your stamped voter registration card to the Precinct Convention with you.

When former President Clinton said you get to vote twice in Texas, well it is at the Precinct Convention where you get to vote the second time and perhaps your vote their will count for much more that when you voted in the Primary Election.

Each person to attend the convention will be able to express their preference for Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, John Edwards and/or any other candidate for President on the ballot.

The number of delegates, determined by the number of voters in the precinct who voted in the last general election for the Democratic candidate for Govenor, will be apportioned according to the preference expressed by those attending the convention.  There is one exception. In order for a candidate to receive delegates, they must have the support of at least 15% of voting members attending the Precinct Convention. Otherwise, they receive no delegates. This eliminates candidates with too little support to be viable or considered.

It is in this process where your vote can carry tremendous weight. You may have only two to four thousand people vote in the Democratic Primary and many citizens complain that their single vote counts for very little. One vote out of 2,000 to 4,000 voting in the Democratic Primary can be looked at like this. However, you may have as few as 10 to 30 people show up for the Precinct Convention and one to two votes out of 10 to 30 others makes a big impact.

Precinct Conventions is the place where grassroots politics has its origins and there is no better time or place for you to be heard. Anyone attending the convention can enter a resolution to be considered by the Precinct Convention and those that pass are taken to the County Convention for consideration. If passed there they are taken to the State Convention and if passed go on the National Convention for consideration. You may not think that the resolution you write and get passed at the Precinct Convention would ever make it all the way up the line. However, it was a resolution heard and passed by a Precinct Convention in Pennsylvania decades ago that ultimately wound up creating the Head Start Program in our Nation to benefit children. Yes, your resolution can have an impact.

Precinct Conventions are perhaps the only place where local communities can come together to discuss political issues and determine the course and direction of the nation for the good. Unfortunately they have gone on for decades in Texas and have been largely ignored by most. But, this year is different than years past. Texans may not have as good of an opportunity to be heard for decades because of the close race between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama this year.

If you want to be heard then this is the year to do it. The opportunity for you to participate in government and be heard may not come again like this for many years. Remember, 35% of the delegates a candidate will receive in Texas will be decided at Precinct Conventions.

Both the Clinton Campaign and the Obama Campaign have issued white papers to their supporters urging them to show up in mass at the Precinct Conventions to express their support. They are doing this because polls indicate that the anticipated popular vote in the Primary Election is evenly divided. They know that in order to secure the most delegates from Texas they will have to do it in the Precinct Conventions.

Attend your Precinct Convention after the polls close on Election Day. Make your voice heard.

See related story... Precinct Conventions are Not Just About Delegates

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