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Colorado: Caucus or primary?
Kaeli West
Issue date: 2/4/08 Section: News
Some students at CSU have just realized the quickly approaching Super Tuesday and have no idea how, who, or where to give their vote, and what it means to be a part of the Colorado caucuses.
"I don't know what that really means," said Brittany Hoegert, a senior sociology major when asked what a caucus is. "I wish I did. It's not one of my priorities I guess."
Apparently, politics is not a priority for a lot of students on campus. Few students interviewed by the Collegian knew the difference between a caucus and a primary, let alone which nominating process Colorado has implemented for this election year.
This year, Colorado is a caucus state. Registered voters go to either a Republican or Democrat precinct location where they break into groups according to which candidate they support. While Republican caucuses generally act in a straight-forward voting process, the democratic process is more complicated: Attendees will first take part in a pre-presidential poll, so that initial results can be issued to the media. Caucus-goers then debate the issues and the candidates before being called to a final vote.
In states holding primaries, voters cast their votes in closed or open ballot and the popular vote wins the state.
This is a simple overview of the process. In reality, there are a lot more steps taken to determine the nominees each state will support at the Republican and Democratic Conventions.
Some faculty and students say the complicated and inconsistent methods are a big reason for hesitation and lack of interest in the nomination for a President Elect.
Nicole Detraz, an international relations professor, said at this level people know elections are coming but they don't know how candidates are chosen because no one tells them how it works.
"Nobody's ever gone through the intricacies of the process." Detraz said. "It's a complicated system that varies from state to state."
Doug Tait, a senior biology major, was unaware of the caucusing process and how it is different from primary elections held in many states. "I had heard those two terms used. I think it would make more sense if it was a straight popular vote," Tait said.
"I don't know what that really means," said Brittany Hoegert, a senior sociology major when asked what a caucus is. "I wish I did. It's not one of my priorities I guess."
Apparently, politics is not a priority for a lot of students on campus. Few students interviewed by the Collegian knew the difference between a caucus and a primary, let alone which nominating process Colorado has implemented for this election year.
This year, Colorado is a caucus state. Registered voters go to either a Republican or Democrat precinct location where they break into groups according to which candidate they support. While Republican caucuses generally act in a straight-forward voting process, the democratic process is more complicated: Attendees will first take part in a pre-presidential poll, so that initial results can be issued to the media. Caucus-goers then debate the issues and the candidates before being called to a final vote.
In states holding primaries, voters cast their votes in closed or open ballot and the popular vote wins the state.
This is a simple overview of the process. In reality, there are a lot more steps taken to determine the nominees each state will support at the Republican and Democratic Conventions.
Some faculty and students say the complicated and inconsistent methods are a big reason for hesitation and lack of interest in the nomination for a President Elect.
Nicole Detraz, an international relations professor, said at this level people know elections are coming but they don't know how candidates are chosen because no one tells them how it works.
"Nobody's ever gone through the intricacies of the process." Detraz said. "It's a complicated system that varies from state to state."
Doug Tait, a senior biology major, was unaware of the caucusing process and how it is different from primary elections held in many states. "I had heard those two terms used. I think it would make more sense if it was a straight popular vote," Tait said.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Manoj Pandey
posted 3/05/08 @ 9:00 PM MST
Nice article.
I was going throught the vote stats and saw that Colorado do not have primaries but only caucus this year. I was confused why is this so?
The article cleared my cunfusion very much but still I don't know how a state is considered for primary or caucus?
In primaries pepople caste their vote, but in caucus do the same people take part or only the people from the politics?
Thanks,
Manoj
cOlOradO mOveRs
posted 12/19/08 @ 12:45 PM MST
students at CSU have just realized the quickly approaching Super Tuesday and have no idea how, who, or where to give their vote, and what it means to be a part of the Colorado caucuses. (Continued…)
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