Bonner County Republicans caucusing Tuesday

SANDPOINT — Bonner County Republicans are caucusing on Tuesday to determine nominations for president of the United States.

The local GOP is caucusing at Sandpoint High School, Priest River Junior High, the Filling Station in Clark Fork and Blanchard Community Center. Doors open at 6 p.m. and lock at 7 p.m.

“We made the decision to have four locations so we could make sure we had as much access as possible,” said Bonner County GOP Central Committee Chairman Cornel Rasor.

Tuesday’s caucuses are expected to be the only opportunity for Bonner County Republicans to weigh in on the presidential primary.

The presidential race is not slated to appear on the May 15 primary ballot.

Idaho Republicans will be caucusing for presidential candidates Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul, Buddy Roemer, Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum.

Caucus attendees will cast ballots until one of the candidates receives 51 percent support.

Bonner County Democrats are caucusing as well, although it’s mainly for convention delegates because that party’s candidate, Barack Obama, already holds office for president.

Bonner County’s Democratic party is caucusing on Saturday, April 14, at Sandpoint Community Hall. Doors open at 9:30 a.m. and lock at 10 a.m.

“That’s why the Idaho Democrats went with the caucus process, because it was more open to the public,” said Laura Bry, chair of the Bonner County Democratic Central Committee.

Although both parties were shooting for accessibility when they planned their caucuses, there is no getting around a hard-and-fast caucus rule — once the doors are shut, nobody else will be allowed inside.

Bonner County Clerk Marie Scott is worried some voters may be unaware of the caucuses and will expect to vote in the presidential primary in May only to learn that they can’t and missed their opportunity to weigh in on the contest.

“I am concerned that people are going to be angry and there’s not anything we will be able to do for them,” said Scott.

Some voters will also learn they have been assigned to a new voting precinct because of legislative redistricting in Idaho.

The county created a new precinct called Kelso.

Voters in that precinct will cast ballots at the Sagle Fire District’s Careywood Station off U.S. Highway 95.

Redistricting also caused the West Branch precinct to be folded into the Blue Lake precinct. The Southside precinct was expanded using voters from Sagle, Westmond and Cocolalla.

Scott said registered voters in precincts affected by redistricting will be sent a letter advising them of the changes.

In Sandpoint, Washington precinct voters will no longer cast ballots at Washington Elementary School. The precinct will retain its name, although voters will report to First Lutheran Church at Division Avenue and Ontario Street to cast ballots.