CONGRATULATIONS HD37 Democrats - you are hereby CAUCUSED!
A long email today - but necessary - hope to see you at the next HD37 Meeting at CB & Potts on Tuesday, February 26. Visit www.hd37dems.org - our on-line HD37 community.
I am elated today (and exhausted!) - because I am a House District 37 Arapahoe County Democrat. Last night was AMAZING. I joined the 2,100 brave voters who showed up in droves at Newton Middle School. We were in chaos mode by 6:30 as the two areas we reserved were flooded with eager voters. We planned for three times the amount who participated last caucus and got TWENTY times as many.
Surprisingly most people were patient, helpful, and calm. Our Caucus Mistress of Ceremonies Diana Holland did a magnificent job of keeping the majority of our people informed and active under most extreme circumstances, even with a bum microphone that refused to cooperate. Diana announced that she is running for House District 37 State Representative last night - if she can handle a crazy situation like last night's pandemonium - she can handle anything!
Diana (former Littleton School Board member) phoned the Littleton School Superintendent and got the basketball game CANCELLED so we could move into the gym, smaller gym and music room last night. Although it was chaotic, 2,100 people still voted and completed the business of the caucus as planned.
We owe Diana a debt of gratitude for last night and our support for her campaign as HD37 State Rep.
In addition, ALL HD37 volunteers who stepped up, showed up, and saddled up - you all deserve a medal. Here are a few names I want to mention (I apologize for leaving YOU out): Karl Goeken (Karl actually shoveled snow at the school that day among MANY other things), Ted Fritschel, Harold Thyfault, Patrick Anderson, Karen Hart, Dave Golias, Roberta Gillis, Jan Watson, Deb Armbruster, Jeff Anderson (my longtime best friend and understanding spouse), and everyone else who pitched in when I sent you on errands and assigned you last second tasks last night.
Below I've included abridged comments from Dan Slater of the Colorado Democrat Party - he's said some of these things so well - I can't say them any better:
2-6-08 - A new entry titled 'So Proud to be a Colorado Democrat!' has been posted to www.demnotes.com.
Lines snaked. Cars were towed. Traffic was jammed. People voted. Delegates were elected.
And Colorado Democrats proved their mettle.
I'm so proud this morning to be a Colorado Democrat. And, no, it isn't because my candidate won.
No, I'm so proud because of how revitalized this Party is today. In 2004, we had between 10,000 and 15,000 people show up to caucus. Last night, we had about ten times that number -- a 1,000% increase in attendance!
I'm proud because the Democratic Party -- with fewer registered Democrats than registered Republicans -- had over twice the turnout of the Colorado Republican Party. Not in percentages, but in raw numbers of people.
I'm proud because that turnout came even though Democratic caucuses are more complicated beasts than the Republican caucuses (from what I can tell, you just show up and cast your secret ballot at Republican affairs). Dick Wadhams must be trembling with what he saw in Colorado last night.
I'm proud because, for the most part, our county parties handled the massive influx of new people pretty well. As I predicted yesterday, there were periods of chaos, but we still made it through without any complete breakdowns of the system.
I'm proud because -- even with the longer meetings and the heavier turnout -- the Colorado Democratic Party reported its results much faster than the Republicans. At every stage last night, we were at least 20% ahead in terms of precincts reporting -- by about 10 or 10:30, we had around 95-98% of the precincts reporting to the 70-75% of the Republican precincts reporting. We gave county chairs as close to a mandate as we could: have your results to us by 9:30. I've spoken to some who say the Republican mandate was to have their results reported no later than 7:30. This is just more proof that you can't trust elections to Republicans -- they have proven time and time again they can't even run their own elections efficiently!
I'm proud of the county chairs and other county party officers and leaders out there who worked their rear-ends off to pull off this historic evening. I'm also proud of the State Party staff and my fellow officers, who have spent the last few weeks tirelessly answering phone calls and e-mails and taking questions from voters about this process. Because of the intense interest in the caucus, the CDP put in nine new phone lines -- and they were constantly lit!
---------------------------------------
A few statistics from the results reported last night in Colorado.
The tally now stands at Obama - 79,344 (66.2%) to Clinton 38,587 (32.2%), with 3165 of 3208 precincts reporting.
Denver had the highest vote for Obama, at 17,942, followed by Boulder with 13,100.
Denver also had the highest vote for Clinton, at 7806, followed by Jefferson with 5,208.
The highest turnout counties were: 1. Denver (26,096); 2. Boulder (17,910); 3. Jefferson (14,595); 4. Arapahoe (12,224); and 5. Larimer (8,637).
Statewide, Democratic turnout was at 13.61%. Arapahoe - 12.83%
HOUSE DISTRICT 37 had a 20% TURNOUT!!!! HD37 ROCKS.
Vineta Campau
HD37 Chair - Arapahoe County Democrats
303-713-9714 vineta@aol.com
HD37 Chair - Arapahoe County Democrats
303-713-9714 vineta@aol.com
Climb to the top of the charts! Play the word scramble challenge with star power. Play now!
