The Green Papers
2012 Presidential Primaries, Caucuses, and Conventions
 
Copyright www.flags.net/UNST.htm Washington Democrat
Presidential Nominating Process
Non-binding primary (cancelled by the state Legislature): Tuesday 21 February 2012 (cancelled)
Precinct Caucuses: Sunday 15 April 20121
Legislative District Caucuses: Saturday 28 April 2012
County Conventions: Sunday 29 April 2012
Congressional District Caucuses: Sunday 20 May 2012
State Convention: Saturday 2 June - Sunday 3 June 2012
Democrats
CandidatePrecinct
Delegates
Selected
Delegate Votes
Soft
Pledged
Soft
Unpledged
Soft
Total
Hard Total
(available) 105 100.00%16 100.00%121 100.00%121 100.00%
Total 105 100.00%16 100.00%121 100.00%121 100.00%

States Chronologically   States Alphabetically     Democratic Convention     Washington Republican    
 
Washington Primaries for Statewide offices and Congress
 
Washington State and Local Government

 
 

The delegate selection processes herein was updated 20 February 2012 per the 2012 Delegate Selection Plan as approved by the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee on 10 December 2011.

Starting on Tuesday 20 March 2012, a 15% pledged delegate bonus is awarded when clusters of 3 or more neighboring states begin on the same date. Alaska and Hawaii are considered neighboring states of Washington and Oregon. [Reg 5.1.B Article I.C.2.b]

The state received a 10% pledged delegate bonus for starting in Stage II (April).


   

Tuesday 21 February 2012 (cancelled): Washington non-binding Primary. The primary has no effect on delegate allocation. The 2012 Presidential Primary has been cancelled.

 

Participation in Washington State's delegate selection process is open to all voters who wish to participate as Democrats. Those who wish to participate in the caucus and convention process who are not currently registered to vote may register to vote at the caucus or convention and then participate on the same day.

Sunday 15 April 2012: First Tier Precinct Caucuses.

The Precinct Caucuses meet at 1:00 pm to elect delegates to the legislative district caucuses and county conventions based on presidential preference. After a preliminary tally of presidential support is completed, attendees are given an opportunity to discuss the results. Attendees are then provided a chance to reconsider; and a final tally is taken.

  • 69 district delegates are to be pledged proportionally to presidential contenders based on the will of the caucus participants in each of the State's 10 congressional districts. A mandatory 15 percent threshold is required in order for a presidential contender to be pledged National Convention delegates at the congressional district level. (numbers from 2008, the allocations were removed from the 10 December 2011 version of the document)
    • CD 1: 6 (?)
    • CD 2: 6 (?)
    • CD 3: 5 (?)
    • CD 4: 3 (?)
    • CD 5: 5 (?)
    • CD 6: 6 (?)
    • CD 7: 9 (?)
    • CD 8: 6 (?)
    • CD 9: 5 (?)
    • CD 10: (?)

A fine point: The At-Large and Pledged PLEO delegates are pledged to presidential contenders based on the presidential preferences of the 69 district level delegates elected at the Congressional District Caucuses. Hence, the National Convention District delegates are pledged from the preferences expressed at the Precinct Caucuses while the National Convention statewide delegates are pledged using the preferences of the National Convention District delegates.

 

Saturday 28 April 2012: Second Tier Legislative District Caucuses.

Legislative district caucuses meet at 10:00 a.m to elect delegates to the Congressional District caucuses and State Convention.

 

Sunday 29 April 2012: Second Tier County Conventions.

County Conventions meet at 10:00 a.m. to elect delegates to the Congressional District caucuses and State Convention and adopt county platforms and resolutions.

A county that is wholly within a legislative district may choose its delegates to the state convention and the congressional district caucuses at the county convention.

A county that is in more than one legislative district may choose its delegates to the state convention and the congressional district caucuses at legislative district caucuses during the county convention.

 

Sunday 20 May 2012: Third Tier Congressional District Caucuses.

National Convention District delegates are elected at the State Convention according to the results of the Precinct Caucuses.

36 statewide delegates are to be pledged to presidential contenders based on the presidential preferences of district level delegates elected at today's Congressional District Caucuses. A mandatory 15 percent threshold is required in order for a presidential contender to be pledged National Convention delegates at the statewide level.

  • 13 Pledged PLEOs
  • 23 at-large National Convention delegates
 

Saturday 2 June - Sunday 3 June 2012: State Convention.

National Convention Pledged PLEO and At-Large delegates are elected at the State Convention according to the results of the Congressional District Caucuses.

The remaining 16 National Convention delegates consist of

  • 16 Unpledged PLEO delegates:
    • 7 Democratic National Committee members.
    • 7 Members of Congress (2 Senators and 5 Representatives).
    • 1 Governor.
    • 1 Distinguished Party Leader (former Speaker of the House Tom Foley).

These 16 delegates and will go to the Democratic National Convention officially "Unpledged".


Notes:

SB 5119, which cancels the 2012 presidential primary by amending RCW 29A.56.020, was signed by Governor Christine "Chris" Gregoire on 13 May 2011. The bill's sponsors were Senators Craig A. Pridemore (Democratic) and Adam Kline. Since the bill expires in 2013, there may be a Presidential Primary in 2016. Note: In the last 2 cycles, the Washington Democrats (2004, 2008) nominated by caucus while the Washington Republican nominated by caucus in 2004 and by both caucus and primary in 2008.

Somewhat related: HB 1860, sponsored by state Representative Christopher Hurst(Democratic) had its first reading on 7 February 2011. The bill moves the election of precinct committee officers to the presidential primary.

HB 1325, requested by Governor Christine "Chris" Gregoire and Secretary of State Sam Reed; and sponsored by Democratic Representatives Sherry Appleton and John McCoy, was first read on 19 January 2011. The bill prohibits a presidential primary from being held in 2012.


Links Links to other web sites

Constitution   Links to State Constitutions
  Washington State Constitution
Election Authority
  Public Disclosure Commission
  Secretary of State's Office
  Washington Secretary of State - Elections & Voting
Legislature   Links to State Legislatures
  Washington State Legislature
  Washington State Legislature - House of Representatives
  Washington State Senate
Democratic
  Washington Senate Democratic Caucus
  Washington State Democrats
  Washington State House Democrats
Media & others
  DC's Political Report - Washington
  HeraldNet - Snohomish County
  KING TV - Seattle
  KREM TV - Spokane
  More Voter Choice
  Northwest Cable News
  Northwest Daily Marker - Redmond
  PNWLocalNews - Western Washington News, Sports, Entertainment
  Politics1.com - Washington
  Seattle Post-Intelligencer
  Sound Politics - Seattle - Puget Sound
  Spokane Valley Online
  The Bellingham Herald
  The Chronicle - Centralia
  The Daily Herald - Everett
  The Daily News - Longview
  The Issaquah Press
  The News Tribune - Tacoma
  The Olympian - Olympia
  The Seattle Times
  The Spokesman-Review - Spokane
  The Sun - Bremerton
  Tri-City Herald - Kennewick - Pasco - Richland
  Washington Voter - League of Women Voters of Washington
  Yakima Herald-Republic

1 Democratic Party's "First Determining Step" of the delegate selection process.

 


  Election 2012 - Presidential Primary, Caucus, and Convention Home  
 
  Presidential Candidates  
 
Rule Making and Process
  30 December 2009 - Democratic Change Commission's Recommendations for the 2012 Presidential Nominating Process  
  20 August 2010 - Democratic National Committee approves 2012 Call To Convention and Delegate Selection Rules  
  6 August 2010 - Republican Temporary Delegate Selection Committee's Recommendations for the 2012 Presidential Nominating Process  
 
  States Alphabetically  
  Events Chronologically  
  Major Events Chronologically  
  Democratic "First Determining Step" Chronologically  
 
  Chronological Cumulative Allocation of Delegates  
  Weekly Delegate Distribution and Availability  
  Democratic Pledged and Unpledged Summary   --   Republican Pledged and Unpledged Summary  
  Democratic Hard and Soft Summary   --   Republican Hard and Soft Summary  
 
Delegate Allocation
  Democratic Quick Reference   --   Republican Quick Reference  
  Democratic Detailed Delegate Allocation   --   Republican Detailed Delegate Allocation  
 
  Democratic Delegate Selection and Voter Eligibility   --   Republican Delegate Selection and Voter Eligibility  
 
  Primaries at a Glance  
 
Documentation
  Historical Analysis of the Presidential Nominating Process  
  Historical Analysis of the apportionment of delegate votes at the National Conventions of the two major parties  
  Primary/Caucus/Convention Glossary  
  Statutory Election Information of the Several states / Presidential Primary  
  Dates of PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES re: selection and/or allocation/distribution of Delegates to Major Party National Conventions  
 
  Major Third Party (Constitution, Green, Libertarian) Presidential Nomination Process  
 
  Straw Polls  


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