Party caucuses are the most basic grass roots level of organized party politics in Utah.  All party power is derived from these highly important neighborhood meetings.  Neighborhood precinct caucuses play an indespensively vital role in shaping the political future of the county, the state and the party itself.

What are precinct caucuses?

They are meetings held right in the local neighborhood every two years. There precinct officers are selected and county and state delegates chosen to represent you and your neighborhood at the county and state conventions. Those chosen are your friends and neighbors, or perhaps even you

Why are they important?

Caucus meetings are the only chance many people ever get to have an actual say in who the party’s candidates will be in the upcoming primary and general elections. The delegates you and your neighbors select will vote in your behalf at the county and state conventions where the party selects its candidates who will run against the other party’s candidates in every countywide and statewide political race

Who can attend?

Anyone from any party can attend and silently observe. However, in order to participate in discussions, attendees must either be an unaffiliated voter (not registered as a member of any other party recognized by the state,) or a registered Republican.

Who can vote or be elected to a party position?

Only registered Republicans can vote at caucus meetings. Anyone elected to a precinct office or as a delegate must be registered as a Republican.

What if I decide to change parties and become a Republican at the meeting?

So long as you fill out a voter registration card and confirm on the card that you are a Republican, you can vote and/or be elected to office even if you made the decision just moments before the vote is taken.

How many people usually come?

Sadly, in Sanpete County attendance at this meeting is traditionally very low compared to the total number of registered Republicans living in the precinct. Sometimes as few as five or six people make the important political decisions for literally hundreds of registered Republicans who fail to show up. If you complain about the candidates the party fields in elections and you didn’t attend your precinct caucus, your complaint is baseless You didn’t do your part to make sure the people elected as delegates in your precinct were people who agreed with your views on issues and candidates.

How long are the meetings?

Generally speaking, a caucus meeting will last about an hour to an hour and a half, though they can be shorter or perhaps a little longer.

Think about this:

If you don’t attend, who will? Which one of your neighbors is making your political choices for you? Remember the saying, “All that is necessary for evil to triumph is that good men (or women) remain silent!