Mar 9, 2008 2:00 pm US/Eastern
Texas Dems Learn Caucus Votes May Not Count
Marianne Martinez
ARLINGTON, Texas (CBS) ―
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Both Clinton and Obama supporters waited in line to attend chaotic caucuses after primary voting ended in Texas.
CBS
Hundred of voters in Texas are worried they wasted their time and effort going to the Democratic caucuses because there's a chance their caucus votes won't count.
In Texas, voters are able to cast their ballots twice, once on paper and once on Election Day through caucusing. During the caucuses, voters are able to decide which candidate they like as a group. The caucus vote accounts for nearly one third of the available Texas delegates. Out of the state's 228 delegates, 67 were awarded by caucusing.
Caucuses began 15 minutes after the polls closed in Texas.On March 4, hundreds of voters gathered at Atherton Elementary School in Arlington. However, there were no precinct caucus chairs. Voter Quentin Wright said the entire process was chaotic and disorganized. Some voters tried to volunteer to chair the caucus, but it only added to the confusion.
Tensions became high when we didn't know who was in charge," Wright said. "There were about 300 to 400 people there and around 8:30 people started signing paper and leaving."
The Tarrant County Democratic Party says it has no records from 12 precincts. While some of those precincts may not have had conventions, there are a handful that met and didn't turn it the correct paperwork.
"Ninety-eight percent of them got their thing done and got their thing in," said Art Brender, Tarrant County Democratic Party Chair. "We're looking for the other 2 percent."
Brender said if the voters from these precincts can prove they did caucus and elect delegates, their caucus votes will count. However, this experience has Wright questioning if the caucus process should be amended.
"Now to find out that we went through all that and it's not going to count, we are a little demoralized about it," Wright said.
Sen. Barack Obama generally has outperformed Clinton in caucuses, which reward organization and voter passion. Clinton typically scores higher with working class voters who can't always make it to caucuses.
The Illinois senator had now won 13 caucuses to Clinton's three.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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