3/1 UPDATE: At my precinct meeting (LowerCreek3), 14 people attended. Only 11 wanted to be delegates. Two years ago there were 25 people, and it was a brawl for the 19 delegate seats.
This year, with not all delegate spots filled, I asked to add one delegate to the list who was on their way to the meeting from work. The request was denied.
At other Caldwell County precinct meetings this year, many people were added to the delegate lists at their meetings. Sadly, precinct meetings in general were less attended than in 2011.
The rule is that adding delegates not at the meeting is up to the discretion of the Precinct Chair whether to allow it and the room must vote on approval. No delegates can be added to the list after the meeting. That’s the rule.
I wonder why my request to add one young Republican to the list was denied? The room was full of a bunch of bobbleheads who seemed to all answer in unison, “Oh no, we can’t do that. No.” I had explained the rules to our Precinct Chair before the meeting several times and thought he understood.
I’m not sure of the repercussions of this denial, but there is now one 21-year old Republican who very much wants to participate in the political system that can’t as a delegate.
This young Republican is also a hardworking member of the Party who has spent time as Treasurer of two GOP organizations, as Young Republican leader, has traveled to Arizona on behalf to campaign in a tight Congressional race, who helped organize a clean-up day for the county GOP headquarters this year, worked at Early Voting and on Election Day electioneering, and has been a state delegate in the past.
This young Republican works in a law firm in Morganton and was no the way to the meeting. Isn’t this the kind of Republican they want to allow consideration for to be a delegate?
I’m not sure the GOP can afford to lose any young people at this point, but that’s how they seem to roll – stuck on stupid.
————- CALDWELL COUNTY GOP CONVENTION IS SATURDAY, MARCH 9TH AT 9AM. See Calendar for details.
Caldwell TEA Party 
We arrived at our precinct at 5:45 and no one was there. The school personnel knew nothing about the meeting. The doors were locked and we was not allowed entry. We sat in our car (it was cold outside) until 6:10 when Wayne arrived. I recognized him so I went and asked if he was there for the meeting. He said yes, Sam had asked him to handle it, the chairman was not available. That made three of us, yes, I said three! He suggested we nominate three other people not in attendance since we were allowed nine. He called them, two answered and one didn’t. We voted to have six delegates from Sawmills #2. We then voted for the Precinct Chairman for the next two year term and I was unanimously elected. No one wanted to be the Vice so our meeting was adjourned. Wayne said he would give the report to Sam at the library. Now my question is, as precinct chairman, why do I have to learn of the county convention from Mrs. Gates?
Great question, Ed. Why am I the one who tries to notify people about their political party meetings? Why doesn’t the party want people to know about these meetings? I hope they will respond to your question.
Okay, apology is in order, so here goes. I received an e-mail last night at 10:30 from Gary Whisnant advising me of the county convention. He said he was trying to get caught up on all the changes and adding the new e-mail addresses. I was impatient and for this I should and do apologize!
Evidently, there’s a bunch of stuff going on behind the curtains. A more open and transparent process would benefit the Republican Party instead of these underhanded tactics. Makes us look like a bunch of democRATS. This should be discussed Saturday at the convention.