March 3, 2012 Washington Precinct Caucuses

Washington State Republican Party Caucus

Republican Caucuses - Presidential Straw Poll
100% reporting 6,785 of 6,785 precincts

GINGRICH
PAUL ROMNEY
SANTORUM
OTHERS
TOTAL

5,221
10.28%
12,594
24.81%
19,111
37.65%
12,089
23.81%

3.44%


Note: Romney won the poll in 26 counties; Paul in 9 counties (Pacific, Skamania and Klikitat; Asotin and Whitman; and Pend Oreille,
Stevens, Ferry and Okanogan), and Santorum in 4 counties (Columbia, Lincoln, Douglas and Whatcom.



PRESS RELEASE from Romney for President

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Romney Press Office

March 3, 2012




MITT ROMNEY: WASHINGTON STATE VOTERS WANT A WASHINGTON OUTSIDER AS PRESIDENT
 
Boston, MA – Mitt Romney today made the following statement on the results of the Washington caucuses:
 
“I’m heartened to have won the Washington caucuses, and I thank the voters for their support. Every day that passes with Barack Obama in the White House is a day in which America’s recovery from the economic crisis is delayed. Unemployment here in Washington was recently as high as 10.2 percent. It’s wonderful that it has declined to 8.3 percent. But that is still an unacceptable level, bringing hardship and suffering and sleepless nights to too many American homes. I believe in an America in which everyone seeking work can find it.
 
“I’m in this race because I believe that America can be turned around, that we don’t have to accept unemployment over 8 percent as a new normal. I don’t believe we have to accept a national debt that is as large as our entire economy. I don’t believe we have to accept taxes and regulations that cripple economic growth. We don’t have to accept a national health care scheme that will impose the will of Washington bureaucrats on every American healthy or ill. And we don’t have to accept a President who divides our country even as he misgoverns it.
 
“Once again, I congratulate my fellow Republicans on a campaign well waged. We may differ from one another in background and experience. But we are united in our love of this country, and in our belief that with proper leadership America can do much better.  The voters of Washington have sent a signal that they do not want a Washington insider in the White House. They want a conservative businessman who understands the private sector and knows how to get the federal government out of the way so that the economy can once again grow vigorously. With the support of Washington’s voters, I look forward with optimism to the primaries and caucuses to come.” 
 
###

PRESS RELEASE from Washington State Democrats
3/3/12
GOP Voters Given a Choice Between Bad and Worse in WA Caucuses

Following the announcement of tonight's GOP caucus results, Dwight Pelz, chair of the Washington State Democrats, issued the following statement:

“Republican voters today were stuck with a decision between bad and worse for a presidential nominee. Washingtonians are looking for a leader who will focus on revitalizing the economy and creating jobs, but Mitt Romney and the rest of the GOP slate are too busy pandering to the extreme right wing of their party to focus on the issues that matter to Washington’s middle class families.

“Mitt Romney’s budget does nothing to create jobs – it only cuts investments in innovation, research, and community colleges. His backwards economic policies are no surprise considering his failed record on job creation as governor, when Massachusetts ranked 47th out of 50 in job creation.

“While Romney’s agenda completely overlooks middle class families, and continues giveaways to millionaires, billionaires and corporations, it turns downright hostile towards women. Just this week, Romney followed his tradition of flip-flopping on women’s health by opposing the controversial Blunt amendment, only to change course by supporting it a few hours later.

“Now that Washington’s highest profile Republican Rob McKenna has waited for GOP voters to tell him who he should back, will he come out in support of Mitt Romney? Or will he continue to hide his true allegiance in order to evade questions about how he lines up with the GOP frontrunners on key issues?”



  1. When are the caucuses?
    The precinct caucuses are on March 3, they begin at 10 AM and will end around noon. We recommend arriving 30 minutes early to check in.
     
  2. Where will the caucus in my area be held.
    To find your caucus you need to know your precinct. If you don’t know your precinct, click here, fill in your information then click on “my districts & elected officials” to locate your precinct, then go to our list of precincts located here
     
  3. Can I volunteer to help out with my caucus?
    Yes. We need volunteers to register people and to help set up for the caucuses. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact your county party.
     
  4. What is the difference between a caucus and a primary? Why aren’t we having a primary this year?
    A primary election is when people get to vote, in our state via absentee ballots, to select who their nominee will be. In Washington State we have used both a primary and a caucus in the past to allocate our delegates to the national convention. This year, the Secretary of State and the State Legislature decided to cancel the primary due to budgetary considerations. Instead of simply filling out a ballot as in a primary, in a caucus, members of local communities meet and elect delegates to the County Convention, at the county convention those delegates will select delegates to the State Convention who will select our State’s 40 delegates to the national convention.
     
  5. Do I have to be registered as a Republican to participate?
    No. Washington State does not have partisan voter registration. So you are unable to register as a Republican. To participate in the caucus, you need to be registered to vote, and be willing to sign a form that you “consider yourself to be a republican” and you will not be participating in any other parties nominating caucus this year.
     
  6. My county changed precinct boundaries because of redistricting.  Am I caucusing using my old precinct or new precinct boundary?
    Your county party submitted a list of precincts to the WSRP by December 14th, 2011.  So, more likely than not, you are going to be caucusing under your old precinct boundary.  If you have any questions, please contact your county party.
     
  7. In the past, I’ve voted for Democrats, does that mean I cannot participate in the Republican Caucus this year?
    No. You are more than welcome to participate in our caucus. Again, you need to be a registered voter and be willing to sign a form that states that you “consider yourself to be a republican” and will not participate in any other parties caucus this year.
     
  8. Do I need to register or notify my county party prior to participating?
    As long as you are registered to vote you just need to show up where your precinct is caucusing.
     
  9. Is my vote going to be made public?
    There are two parts to the caucus. When you sign in, you will be asked to state your presidential preference - this will be considered your vote for the presidential straw poll. This vote will be a public vote in your caucus but it will not be made available to the general public. Then at the caucus you will undertake the important business of electing delegates. This is your vote that actually counts. The Straw poll is just a snapshot of who caucus attendees support, but the ultimate determiner of which candidates wins Washington’s delegates will be the delegates elected at the precincts caucuses.
     
  10. What happens after the caucus? How do I know if my candidate has won?
    After the caucus, delegates will show up at their county caucuses, where they will elect delegates to the State Convention, finally at the State Convention they will elect delegates to the national convention. The ultimate “winner” of Washington’s delegates will not be determined until the State Convention on May 30th- June2nd. However, the straw poll results will be distributed to the press the day of the March 3rd caucuses. So you will be able to see then who most Washingtonians voted for. These early results are non-binding.