It’s that time again!

Every two years, the Democratic and Republican parties begin the process of nominating their candidates with the precinct caucuses.

If you’ve never been, caucus night has evolved considerably over the years. Once upon a time, caucuses took place in living rooms. A volunteer leader would offer their home and host neighbors from across their precinct for a discussion of candidates and issues and an election of delegates to represent that precinct at the county assembly.

When I attended my first caucus in 2008, the parties had started organizing larger events at schools where anywhere from 3 to 40 precincts would all gather together, allowing the candidates to attend caucuses and meet a greater number of attendees.

This year, many caucuses will be held on Zoom to make sure people feel comfortable participating without risking exposure to COVID19. It’s much less intimate, but I’m so grateful to the party leaders who have done the work to make it all happen.

• Democrats in Jeffco – Find all information about your caucus here.
• Democrats elsewhere in Colorado – Find your caucus date/time/location here.
• Republicans – Start here.
• Minor Party Members – You will have a different kind of assembly process. Google your state party organization for details.
• Unaffiliateds – You cannot participate at caucus. However, you will still be able to cast a ballot in the June primary election for either the Democratic or Republican party, whichever you choose to influence this year.

To participate in caucus, you must be affiliated with the party of your choosing and registered to vote in your current precinct 22 days in advance (by February 7th, 2022). State law and party rule also allow for participation of pre-registered 16 and 17 year olds. You can learn about voting pre-registration here.

What happens at caucus & assembly?
In years with highly competitive races for Governor or US Senate, there are lively debates about candidates and preference polls to allocate delegates. This year, however, it will be a more simplified process. There will still be discussion, but anyone who has signed up in advance to be a delegate to the county assembly will automatically be elected. Delegates should be prepared to commit half a day to attending the county assembly on March 19th starting at 8:00am.

Caucuses also elect two Precinct Organizers (formerly known as Precinct Committee Persons) for every precinct. These POs become members of the county central committee for the next two years and will help conduct the business of the party including the election of party officers, organizing Democrats in your precinct to turn out to vote in November, and serving on vacancy committees should a Democratic elected official resign or pass away.

At the assembly, there will be discussion and voting to nominate all Democratic candidates for districts contained wholly within Jefferson County, including many State House, State Senate, and county level offices. Delegates will also be elected to the Congressional District and State Assemblies.

There may not be many Democratic primaries in our neck of the woods this year, but I would encourage you to sign up and attend anyway. It’s a great opportunity to get connected to your neighbors and start building momentum for an incredibly important election this November.

I remember showing up to caucus in 2008 to support Barack Obama, Mark Udall, and Gwyn Green. It was a brand new experience for me, and I loved every minute as I was elected delegate to assemblies and conventions at every level. Sure, that meant giving up a lot of Saturdays, but it also sparked my passion for politics. And every since, I’ve committed myself to making the biggest difference I can, every day.

I hope you choose to attend this year. We need your energy and passion to keep Colorado moving forward. Feel free to reply with any questions.

Chris