(LOOKING FOR RESULTS? Go here)
FIRST REPORT, 10:24 AM: The Democratic caucuses are on – and we’re already getting reader reports via Twitter of crowds just about everywhere:
Overflowing at #CSIHS @westseattleblog #WACaucus #LD34 pic.twitter.com/IXIkHR8xlf
— Jana on Occasion (@jana_obscura) March 26, 2016
Over 1,500 so far at Fairmount Elm in West Seattle. Will start at 10:30a @westseattleblog #wacaucus #waelex pic.twitter.com/Wd1ldJtDvg
— Jean-Paul Willynck (@jwillynck) March 26, 2016
Boren STEM K-8 Caucus Site @ 9:50am @westseattleblog pic.twitter.com/8pNpPWyZ3a
— Chris Monsos (@ChrisMonsos) March 26, 2016
More to come. We’re about to step inside West Seattle High School to see how it’s going there.
11:05 AM: The initial balloting is over and people are rising, at tables in the WSHS Commons, to argue in favor of their candidate. Here’s how the vote went at one table where we spent some time:
This table at WSHS goes 30 Sanders, 17 Clinton, 2 undecided in first count #WAcaucus #waelex pic.twitter.com/A7nEKgRczg
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) March 26, 2016
At another table, woman says it's great there's a female candidate but she's for Sanders for his integrity #WAcaucus pic.twitter.com/Ec8EcgeRL2
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) March 26, 2016
Clinton supporter at next table. Calls her pragmatic. #WAcaucus pic.twitter.com/6q3Ml0CVTz
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) March 26, 2016
The speeches continue. People can choose to change their votes – so that’s the point of speeches. Again, if you missed the backstory, this is the first step in the process of allotting our state’s delegates to the Democratic National Convention. (Republicans had caucuses but not to support presidential candidates; they’ll do that in the primary vote later this spring.) Here’s a quick Instagram-video circle around the WSHS Commons:
Future voters keeping busy #WAcaucus pic.twitter.com/F4Y55p4xMZ
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) March 26, 2016
Next, tables are electing delegates to the next level of the process. We’ll have more photos/info later, including official numbers expected this afternoon.
ADDED 12:42 PM: We also stopped at Chief Sealth International High School:
And the Boren Building, home to Louisa Boren K-8 STEM and, until June, Arbor Heights Elementary:
Reminders that the caucuses run on volunteer power – from the 34th District Democrats, chair Marcee Stone-Vekich was at the mic at Boren:
And at Sealth, the 34th DDs’ state committeewoman Lisa Plymate:
Also just in – a photo from Vy Duong, who caucused at Lafayette Elementary:
Vy reports seeing County Executive Dow Constantine, an Admiral resident, there; we noted County Council Chair Joe McDermott, a Morgan-area resident, at Sealth.
More to come! Photos welcome at editor@westseattleblog.com.
2:47 PM: Statewide and county-by-county results, by the way, are being updated here – big lead for Sanders so far. We hope to have local-level results at some point too. Another photo to share, from an anonymous reader – Madison Middle School:
9:33 PM: Most of the results are in at the state-party site and it shows Sanders winning the state with 73 percent to Clinton’s 27 percent.
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