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Archive for Thursday, January 31, 2008

Kansas Democrats to meet today on Super Tuesday; state’s Republicans to wait until Saturday

January 31, 2008, 12:00 a.m.

Updated: February 5, 2008, 1:03 p.m.

Republican and Democratic leaders are encouraging county residents to participate in next week’s presidential nominating caucuses.

Richard Kiper, chairman of the Leavenworth County Republican Party, said this would be the first caucuses Kansas Republicans have had since 1988. He said the decision to conduct caucuses was made after the Legislature voted not to have a statewide presidential primary election.

“We decided to have a caucus to give the people of Kansas the opportunity to make their voice known as to who we believe should be the Republican nominee,” Kiper said.

On the Democratic side, Jenny Davidson, communications director of the Kansas Democratic Party, said this was an exciting year because her party’s Kansas caucuses are on Super Tuesday.

Democrats will caucus – along with primary voters in 22 other states – on Super Tuesday, Feb. 5.

For residents of the 5th Kansas Senate District, represented by Sen. Mark Gilstrap, D-Kansas City ( Lansing, Leavenworth and Delaware Township), the Democratic caucus will be at the Riverfront Community Center, 123 N. Esplanade, Leavenworth. Residents of the 3rd Senate District, which includes Basehor and Linwood, represented by Sen. Roger Pine, R-Lawrence, will caucus at Metcalf Memorial Armory, 200 Iowa St., Lawrence.

Doors open at 6 p.m., and voters must be in line by 7 p.m. to participate.

Unregistered voters can register at the caucus until 7 p.m.

The Leavenworth County Republican caucus will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 9, at the Riverfront Community Center, Leavenworth.

All registered Republicans – on or before Jan. 25 – in Kansas’ 2nd Congressional District are eligible to vote in the caucus.

Voters must be in line to register before speeches.

Both caucuses are open to observers of any age.