Presidential Caucus

[Chas]

I thought I understood voting, but apparently not. Could I have voted in the "Caucus"? Or is that only for a select few? 

I saw an article that said "only xxx people voted". I didn't get anything in the mail even though I am an active, registered voter. Was I supposed to go somewhere to do this?

[kalianna]

No.  There were democratic caucuses last week and I think the republican caucus was today.  I donʻt really understand this process.  I think itʻs where you can just show up in a designated room and hang with a group of people who support your candidate and based on this, the candidate receives electors.  Very anticlimactic for both parties this year.  Do we also have a primary vote?  Not sure.

ETA: I was close.  Hereʻs a link:
https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2024/03/11...locations/
Looks like the only place to do this in Puna was Keonepoko Elementary School.

[Chas]

Thanks. I see on the Office of Elections site, it says, "July 23. Voters start receiving their Primary Election mail ballot packet" so I guess we have a primary, but I still don't understand the caucus thing, even more so after reading the article. I read other articles that said it was already over.

It's good(?) to see I'm not the only one who doesn't understand the process... I thought I was just stoopid.

ETA: I found the article for the Democratic caucus on the same site as your link.

https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2024/03/06...locations/

Guess I missed the whole thing...

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

I think itʻs where you can just show up in a designated room and hang with a group of people who support your candidate

From watching news clips of caucuses, this is an highly accurate description of the proceedings.  Also, the room generally has some folding chairs.

[randomq]

I never received anything, I guess you're just supposed to know when and where to go... Not that the parties care about your opinion. (Remember the whole Bernie/Hillary thing.)

There's some interest in having the state run the presidential primary too, to save the parties' money. The weird thing is, the parties could, again, ignore the results of the presidential primary and nominate someone else for the general election.

[Punatang]

I never received anything, I guess you're just supposed to know when and where to go... Not that the parties care about your opinion. (Remember the whole Bernie/Hillary thing.)

There's some interest in having the state run the presidential primary too, to save the parties' money. The weird thing is, the parties could, again, ignore the results of the presidential primary and nominate someone else for the general election.

Kudos to randomq for somehow calling it 4 months early.  This is what democracy looks like! ?

This is an older article but it is Hawaii and it argues the inherent non-democracy going on in the "Democratic" party.  I'd love to hear what this author has to say about the current shenanigans masquerading as democracy.

https://www.civilbeat.org/2016/04/superd...or-review/

"At this point in history the idea that 10 individuals out of the entire Hawaii Democratic Party have so much power, especially when it is possible as it is now that they represent values that are different from the majority, is a matter that is long overdue for review.
The entire system of caucusing should be abandoned and replaced with a state-run primary that would afford all citizens an equal opportunity to cast their votes. The caucus system, both in the fact that there are different tiered values in votes and that there is limited access to the voting booth, is in essence designed to limit the general population’s involvement in the democratic process. As such, the current system gives a select few too much power over the destiny of our country.
In this day and age everyone who wishes to be included in the process should be included. Included, and respected, with an equal share in its outcome through a simple one man one vote system. It is my opinion that no other method could in anyway be called democratic."

[Punatang]

randomq is like Nostradamus reincarnated.

[randomq]

I never died, I just gave up drinking beer and retired to Puna.