North Olympic Peninsula Democrats will join others throughout the state in meeting in county conventions Sunday to select delegates for the congressional caucuses and state convention.
Those elected on the county level could conceivably end up traveling to Philadelphia as delegates to the Democratic National Convention from July 25-28.
County conventions will begin at 1 p.m.
Doors will open for Jefferson County Democrats at noon at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds, 4907 Landes St., Port Townsend.
Clallam County Democrats will gather in the auditorium at Port Angeles High School, 304 E. Park Ave. Registration will begin at 11 a.m. in the student center.
Platforms will be passed and delegates elected.
All registered voters who will be 18 years of age by the Nov. 8 general election, reside in the respective county and affirm themselves to be Democrats are eligible to participate in resolutions and platforms.
Only delegates elected at their March 26 precinct caucuses can vote on delegates and alternates to the 6th Congressional District Caucus and the Washington State Convention.
Elected delegates will participate in the 6th Congressional District Caucus in Suquamish on May 21 and the Washington State Convention in Tacoma from June 18-19.
Selection of delegates to the national convention will be made at the state level, said Jefferson County Democratic Chair Bruce Cowan.
Energized voters
A competitive race between former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, U.S. senator from Vermont, has energized voters and involved people who have in the past stayed on the sidelines, said Roger Fight, Clallam County Democratic chairman.
“A lot of people have gotten engaged this year and will be disappointed if their candidate loses,” Fight said.
“By the general election, these feelings will have healed and they will be faced with a stark and clear choice.”
Sanders prevailed in both counties in precinct caucuses, earning 137 delegates in Jefferson County and 185 in Clallam County compared to 54 in Jefferson County and 86 in Clallam County for Clinton.
Jefferson will send a total of nine delegates to the congressional district convention, while Clallam will send 14.
Both counties allocate delegate commitment according to the results of the precinct caucuses.
The Republican Party operates differently.
Delegates for the congressional and state convention have already been elected and will be winnowed down at the state convention May 18-21 in Pasco.
The allocation of delegates to a candidate will be decided by the May 24 presidential primary.
State GOP communications director Steve Beren said 14 delegates will be allocated with regard to state totals, while three delegates from each congressional district will be allocated in proportion to the local vote.
The Democratic side of the primary has no bearing on delegate selection and allocation and is essentially a beauty contest, Cowan has said.
Both parties’ elected delegates are only bound on the first ballot.
For more information go to www.jeffcodemocrats.com or www.clallamdemocrats.org.
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.