The days when apathy reigned at local delegate meetings may be over as party officials gear up for political caucusing Tuesday evening.
Attendance has been low at caucus meetings in the past but local interest in this year’s mid-term election is off the charts, Summit County Republican Party Chairman Henry Glasheen said.
“We’ve done a lot of recruiting of delegates and it has worked very well,” Glasheen said. “I’m getting phone calls from people every day who want to help.”
Electing delegates who will attend county and state conventions is the primary focus of both parties Tuesday night. Candidates are vying within the same party for several elected offices in the County Courthouse and those who receive enough votes from their party’s delegates will defeat their opponents at the conventions and avoid the expense of the primary election this summer.
Ranch Place Republican Jennifer Castelli said at Tuesday’s caucus meeting she will campaign to be a delegate in Precinct 26. The 37-year-old has never been a delegate before.
“I don’t know if it’s because I am getting older or because I am now a mother,” Castelli said in a telephone interview Thursday. “I’m a fiscal conservative as well so seeing all of the stuff that is going on in the news, with a lot of the debt that our government is in, I think that has gotten me involved and gotten me excited.”
“I’ve gotten involved on an HOA level, I’ll get involved on a school board level and now I’m getting involved on a county level, and who knows where it will take me,” she added.
Glasheen said he expects to see many new faces on Tuesday.
“The Park City area has largely been dominated by Democrats. There has been a small group of conservative Republicans who have just kind of been dormant and I believe the tide is changing,” Glasheen said. “Park City, I believe, has become more conservative.”
Only a handful of Republicans have attended some caucus meetings over the past few years, he said.
“I would expect that our turnout would be about three times normal,” Glasheen said.
Republicans are allowed to have 100 county delegates and 48 state delegates.
“I expect to fill all those spots easily,” Glasheen said.
Meanwhile, Park Meadows Democrat Karin Wilson said she expects to attend her first caucus meeting this week.
“I think it’s important to be involved in the political process and let our children know that we are involved in the process,” said Wilson. “Especially in a state like Utah where Republicans run everything it’s important for Democrats to get out there and try to make a difference.”
Wilson hasn’t decided whether she will seek to become a delegate Tuesday night.
“I would absolutely consider it,” she said. “I’m excited to see how it all shakes out.”
Democrats could elect 84 county delegates and 71 state delegates on Tuesday.
Summit County Democratic Party Chairman Glenn Wright said in 2008 more than 400 people attended the three caucus meetings in Summit County.
“I don’t anticipate that many this year,” Wright said. “It’s hard to really judge what the participation will be this year.”
Candidates should persuade their supporters to caucus on Tuesday, Wright said.
“Those candidates who are in contested races need to get people out to the caucus,” he said. “If they want to assure their election at the county convention they need to get their friends to show up at the county caucus and get elected as delegates.”
Who can attend? Registered Republicans and unaffiliated voters who are eligible to vote this year are allowed to participate in the GOP caucus meeting taking place nearest to their home. The Republican caucus meetings are scheduled Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Treasure Mountain International School, South Summit Middle School and North Summit High School. Anyone who is eligible to vote this year can participate in the Democratic caucus meeting in their neighborhood. Caucus meetings for Democrats are scheduled to begin Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Park City High School, North Summit Middle School and South Summit High School.