Strong turnout for Henderson “Mockus”

Clark County Caucus Organizer Samantha Steelman speaks to voters ahead of Wednesday night's "Mockus"Working to educate voters ahead of the January 19th Nevada Caucus, the Henderson Democratic Club hosted a mock caucus Wednesday at the Painter’s Union Hall in Henderson. Ellen Barre Spiegel, president of the Henderson Democratic club, said more than seventy people attended and was excited by the turnout.

“We did a lot of outreach in the neighborhood,” she said, “and we got a lot of new people.”

Nevada Assemblyman Mark Manendo was on hand for the event and led the group in the Pledge of Allegiance as the club was called to order.

“A lot of people do get intimidated by [caucusing],” said Manendo. “They think they’ll just go to the polls and vote and leave, but there’s a little more to it. Tonight gave people an understanding of how easy and fun it is.”

At the “mockus,” attendees were given an opportunity to endorse one type of candy: caramel, milk chocolate, cherry cordial, or skittles. Undecided was also available for those unwilling to make such a commitment.

Manendo, who has not endorsed a presidential candidate, stayed true to form, caucusing with the undecideds.

Others were less shy about which way they’re leaning.

“I think Hillary’s got what it takes,” said retired federal employee and Arkansas transplant Charles Ballew. He was only one of at least twenty attendees wearing a dark blue “Hillary” sticker as they went about selecting the right candy for the country.

Paula Petruso, a self-employed parliamentarian and retiree from Henderson, is supporting New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson. She said she first heard him speak while volunteering for Tom Gallagher’s 2004 campaign and that “[Richardson] is a statesman. After this fiasco of George Bush we need a statesman in office and he’s the guy.”

Petruso added “I’ve been to caucuses in the past but they were all so small. I think this is going to be a big turnout.”

For most that attended, the “mockus” gave them a first opportunity to learn how caucuses function.

Addie Crisp, a 28-year old flight attendant from Las Vegas, will be caucusing for Illinois Sen. Barack Obama on Jan. 19th and has committed to volunteering for him until then. She admitted that before this election she hadn’t even known that Nevada was a caucus state. “I guess there was a caucus before, but I never got any information,” she said.

Democratic leaders like Barre Spiegel are determined to not let that happen this year. Although only November, she said, they already have more than twenty-five temporary chairs selected for the caucus, and those have been put to work sending out letters to voters in their precincts, with postage reimbursed by the club.

“Without a doubt” the early caucus has aided Democrats with voter registration and interest, Barre Spiegel said. “What’s been so nice is that we’re actually engaging people, inviting people into the conversation and that doesn’t happen a lot. In other places it doesn’t happen at all.”

David Schwartz, a local Democratic activist and Chris Dodd supporter, said events like these are exactly what the state and Clark County Democratic parties need. “It’s great to see so many Democrats that have been kind of hiding in the shadows for the last couple of years come out and really be excited,” he said.

Excited is a word one hears often around Democrats these days.