Judge Rules: Will Allow the At-Large Precincts on the Las Vegas Strip

[flpoljunkie]

Just heard on MSNBC.


A view of the marquee sign in front of the Harrah's Las Vegas casino on the Las Vegas Strip in Nevada in this December 12, 2007 file photo. (Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus/Files - UNITED STATES/Reuters)

From the Las Vegas Sun:

Judge: At-large precincts are OK

By David McGrath Schwartz · January 17, 2008 · 11:12 AM

Just minutes ago, District Court Judge James Mahan rejected the lawsuit that contested the nine at-large Strip caucus sites.

He cited case law that “recognizes the parties have the right to determine how to apportion delegates.”

Attorney Mark Ferrario for the state teachers’ union and five party activists who brought the lawsuit said he didn’t know whether they would appeal, but “probably not.”

http://www.lasvegassun.com/blogs/early-line/2008/jan/17/judge-at-large-precincts-are-ok/

[Connie_Corleone]

1. Good!

[AtomicKitten]

2. Beware of ANYONE trying to suppress the vote. nt

[juajen]

11. Once again, this is a caucus, not a primary.

[AtomicKitten]

16. once again, beware of attempted voter suppression -- it is so very GOP-esque

[ShortnFiery]

23. AK, voter suppression is damn GOP-esque! Rovarian even!!!

:blush: :hi:

[AtomicKitten]

28. it reeks 'o Rove

:hi:

[AtomicKitten]

37. that is completely irrelevant

Hillary Clinton is suing state after state to try to suppress her opponents' vote. That's a fact. And that holds true for the election process, caucus or primary.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

3. Good. As I've always said, I defer to a NV courts knowledge of NV election law

[skipos]

4. This is bad for Clinton

right? I'd like some more info on this if anyone wants to take the time to stop talking about Reagan for 1 minute.

[flpoljunkie]

10. This is good for democracy--suppressing the vote by denying access to casino workers is not.

[Adelante]

5. YESSSSSSS!!!

Voter suppression lost in Iowa and it loses in Nevada :thumbsup:

[flpoljunkie]

6. OP edited to add link from Las Vegas Sun.

http://www.lasvegassun.com/blogs/early-line/2008/jan/17/judge-at-large-precincts-are-ok/

Judge: At-large precincts are OK

By David McGrath Schwartz · January 17, 2008 · 11:12 AM

Just minutes ago, District Court Judge James Mahan rejected the lawsuit that contested the nine at-large Strip caucus sites.

He cited case law that “recognizes the parties have the right to determine how to apportion delegates.”

Attorney Mark Ferrario for the state teachers’ union and five party activists who brought the lawsuit said he didn’t know whether they would appeal, but “probably not.”

[goku2008]

7. OBAMA!

OBAMA! OBAMA OBAMA! OBAMA!

[Debi]

33. Is Obama bussing casino voters into the at-large caucuses?

:P You KNOW I'm kidding!

[Adelante]

36. Heh

GOTV :shrug:

[Big Blue Marble]

8. This is good for Las Vegas and Nevada. This is good for democracy. n/t

[LostinVA]

Tell Reply #5 that

[FrenchieCat]

9. Thank God......

But the fact that this was even tried is what is sick.

The results speak to it....since a judge said HELL NO!

Good! :)

Democracy came through. Political desperation lost.

[cloudythescribbler]

12. It would have been awfully sleazy (and in the spotlight) to rule otherwise

not that such provides any confidence in the courts. they can be pretty amazing when they "have to" be -- like Bush v Gore.

[killbotfactory]

13. Removing caucus sites at the last minute is disenfranchisement

Anyone who supported this bullshit should be ashamed.

[Drunken Irishman]

14. THANK YOU!

:bounce:

[mckeown1128]

15. Gobama!!! nt

This is great for democracy.

[BootinUp]

17. Filing a suit like that and losing is pretty embarrassing

what a bunch of idiots.

[publicatlarge]

21. at-large casino caucus sites...

The at-large casino caucus sites must be skewed to favor Obama as his supporters are cheered by this decision. Is this a level playing field? Is it important to have a level playing field in a democracy?

[adapa]

31. I worry about the level playing field ---equatity amoung voters

To my mind it's not so much about Obama support as it's about equality among the caucuses goers.

It would suck if a group of voters got more weight then another simply because of where they caucused. Think how that could be turned against a group in the future.

[Radical Activist]

34. The voters are skewed toward Obama.

If you have to discourage participation in order to win an election (a common strategy) it hurts democracy in the long run.

[Egnever]

18. f course they did

This was a really bad move from the Clinton camp. It is not playing well in the papers here.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

19. I don't like the idea of caucus voting

because apparently it requires a public declaration of one's political preference, which is then subject to possible coercion.

But it's certainly better to allow this caucus than the alternative, which would prevent these workers from voting at all.

[adapa]

30. It does seem as tho NV should look into this after the primarys

1 person = 1 vote or a set percentage of a delegate.

[Kucinich4America]

20. Now watch the DLC appeal this.

Worked for MSPOS, didn't it?

[Renew Deal]

26. That's a losing strategy.

[alcibiades_mystery]

27. DLC has no say

The teacher's union can appeal.

[ShortnFiery]

22. Maybe Bill will be the Clinton to play *Evita* like HRC did so well in NH?

Heaven knows he's angry and "loaded for bear." How dare us "little people" deny the desires of The Clintonian DLC's Royal Family. :crazy: :evilgrin:

[Barack_America]

24. Not the least bit surprising.

That lawsuit was bullshit. Thanks for posting though.

[alcibiades_mystery]

25. Spladow.

Nice.

[adapa]

29. I'm all for people voting as long as all votes are equal

I'm all for 1 person = 1 vote or a percentage of a delegate.

According to the Plaintiffs,
The amount of delegates are to be counted differently depending on where the voter is caucusing.

If a voter is caucusing at a normal caucus the math is
1 delegate for every 50 voters in the district

At-large precincts are treated as counties in and of their own, meaning that depending on attendance, one delegate could be assigned for every five participants.

http://www.lvrj.com/news/13794012.html

Political rationals are beyond the scope of my post, I'm just looking at the math.

As I said, I'm all for people voting as long as all votes are equal

[mod mom]

32. Good for the voters and Good for the party!

[David Zephyr]

35. Bill Clinton made an ass out of himself yesterday defending this wicked lawsuit.

Everyone in Nevada saw Bill Clinton's anger yesterday when the reporter busted him for his stealthy attempt to suppress voter turnout in Nevada.

That will cost Hillary any chance of winning now on Saturday.