It is time to dust off your ol' political thinker, and put it in gear. A crucial part of Utah's election process is about to take place--precinct caucuses meetings. Participation at these caucus meetings is civic duty at it's most basic level. And, as the LDS First Presidency put it, "Precinct caucuses are the most fundamental grassroots level of political involvement. They are best served by a broad representation of Utah citizens. Those who attend play a critical role in selecting candidates for public office."
There is often the notion to feel that when it comes to national elections, our voice is so insignificant (or at least, this thought cross my mind), but our participation in the political process is so much more than that. The mere fact that any human being come to these meetings and voice her or his opinion is something special.
Recently in my American Heritage course, we had the opportunity to learn about the events surrounding the founding of this great nation. Because of this study, my appreciation for the the brave Americans of that era has grown immensely. I took the opportunity to read some of the documents central to the founding of The United States of America. (You may have had a similar experience.) As I read, I learned that there is a spirit about those documents--something scripture-like; I attest to that. I cried as I read over the names of those who signed the Declaration of Independence. I also read the constitution for the first time. I wasn't sure what to expect as I began reading, but it was short and sweet. It was very simple and clear in enumerating the roles of the different branches of government.
This nation truly is what we make it; the founders intended it that way. During that hot, miserable summer of 1787, when the constitutional convention was held, state delegates put away their fears and any apprehension they had toward a new form of government. They sacrificed pride and personal agendas to put the power squarely on the shoulders of the American People, when they could have kept it to themselves. Our government's purpose, at its very core, is to serve the people; corruption can only exist if we let it.
Another genius of the constitution was the process of indirect election. Indirect election is when individuals are chosen to represent their peers in the voting process. This is the basic idea of the precinct caucuses. It allows a large nation, such as ours, to possess the benefits of a republic, for it is nearly impossible for each person to meet the candidates and discuss the issues with them. As you vote to select a person from your precinct to represent you, or as you discuss those issues that are important and relevant to you in your precinct caucus, you will be participating in a sacred process and you can pledge your allegiance to this great nation in a very meaningful way.
The caucus dates are Tuesday March 13 and Thursday March 15. Make it a date night. Encourage the scouts to go (I'm sure that fills some merit badge requirement). Bring your family. But most importantly, GO! Anyone will be admitted regardless of age, gender, race, nationality, or political party affiliation--this is America!
Get out the Vote!
The following is information I've gathered about caucus meetings that might be helpful to you in understanding the caucus process and how you can prepare to participate. The following video and slideshow were from the Utah Republican website, I didn't find anything similar on the Utah Democratic website, though I did look. I'm sure the caucus process is similar for each party. I hope to attend both the Democratic and Republican caucus meetings for my precinct, and you can as well. (In fact, you don't need to be affiliated with the democratic party to be a precinct officer or delegate which might sound intriguing to an independent voter.)
Tuesday, March 13
Democratic Party 7pm
Thursday March 15
Republican Party 7pm
I regret to tell you that I could not find a link that listed caucus locations. If I find anything, I'll post it.
I did find the following Map of Orem Voting Precincts (as of 2011).
And here is some general 2012 Caucus Convention Information.
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