We trust all HEARTH Fund members will be an active part of the caucuses and assembly process. This is where we can leverage a great deal of political force. It will take a little effort on everyone's part, but can yield great influence over the final result in November and beyond.

This page is a primer on the caucus system in Colorado. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to post your thoughts on the "Speak Out " page of this website, or send a private comment to info@hearthfund.org.

For specific caucus locations, go to www.cologop.org for Republican party information and www.coloradodems.org for Democratic party information.

To Make a Difference, Attend Your Caucus

As important as it is to vote in the general election in November, there is an opportunity Colorado citizens have that is many times more significant. That opportunity is the neighborhood caucus.

Each election cycle, thousands of people across the state meet in their own neighborhoods for the precinct caucus. It is open for all registered voters who have, at least 30 days before, declared affiliation with one of the two major political parties.

The caucus is the first step in selecting the candidates who will run for office in the general election. Since only around 1% of the people attend the caucus, those who do go carry a big voice in determining the future leaders for our state.

The main purpose of the caucus is to appoint delegates to attend the county, district and state assemblies where the candidates for a party are selected. In addition, the caucus determines who will serve as the precinct committee persons. Sometimes resolutions are discussed, and always, neighbors meet each other and discuss the issues that concern them the most.

Since Colorado is one of the few states that still has a precint caucus, Colorado citizens have a unique opportunity to impact the political system at a meaningful, grassroots level.

What Happens at a Caucus?

Caucuses will be here sooner than we think.

Make sure you have Tuesday Evening, March 21 marked out on your calendar.

In addition, recruit your support group (and others you know) to attend their caucus. Encourage them to join the HEARTH Fund and refer them to this HEARTH Fund website for this caucus training information.

Caucuses are not complicated meetings. After an opening pledge to the flag and any other brief preliminaries, someone is selected to run the meeting and a secretary for the meeting is appointed. Committee chairmen are selected (two for each precinct), any resolutions that someone may have brought are considered and voted on to recommend to the county assembly and delegates (and alternates) are selected for county and district assemblies. Some counties will also have state and congressional delegates selected at the caucus meeting. After the meeting the information gathered at the meeting must be delivered to county party officials.

The key to being effective at the caucus is being prepared to select the right people for delegates to the assemblies. Do your homework, bring a team of people prepared to serve in those positions, or at least initiate some discussion at the meeting to determine who is there. At one caucus about a decade ago a young lady simply said: "Before we vote on delegates I would like to know a little bit more about everyone and I will start. I am concerned about the safety of millions of unborn children." With that brief statement, the entire focus of the caucus changed. We then knew who stood where and not only did the right people move on to the assemblies, but the leadership of that precinct changed and has been dramatically more conservative and pro-life for the last ten years. One note of caution: judge the makeup of the caucus before becoming too bold. If your discussion will simply alienate you from the caucus, weigh your words and actions carefully.

In any case, the caucus meeting is that essential first step where you can make a difference. Prepare now to make it a big difference.

A few other items:

The votes cast in the assemblies select most of the candidates that will stand for election on the primary ballot. The only exception is for a candidate that goes through the petition process to get on the ballot.

Assemblies are the most concentrated gatherings of the people who will have the greatest influence on the elections in November. Promoting the right candidates is more than just voting, it is also important to build the right team. If you attend any assembly, take advantage of the event.

If you are selected as a delegate, also be prepared for a small cost to defray the expenses for the assemblies. This is a grassroots meeting, essentially run by the citizens and funded by the same.

The precinct caucus is the most effective way to have the greatest influence on this year's election!