State Caucuses

From The Town Talk:

Caucuses will be held Jan. 22 in Pineville, Natchitoches and nine other locations in Louisiana to elect delegates to the 2008 Louisiana Republican Convention.

The process for electing delegates was announced by Republican Party of Louisiana Chairman Roger F. Villere Jr.

The state's Republican voters will head to the polls on Tuesday, Jan. 22, at 11 different caucus sites to cast their ballots for delegates and alternate delegates to the 2008 Louisiana Republican Convention. Voters will cast ballots from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. that day.

"We're excited about the upcoming caucuses," Villere said. "I believe this system will allow Louisiana Republicans to have a strong impact on the election of the next president of the United States."

The state convention will choose the bulk of Louisiana's delegates to the 2008 Republican National Convention. Louisiana will have a total of 47 delegates and 44 alternates to the national convention in Minneapolis, Minn.

Three of Louisiana's delegate spots are already decided. Under RNC Rules, Villere, National Committeeman Ross Little Jr. and National Committeewoman Kay Kellogg Katz serve as automatic national convention delegates.

State convention delegates will choose the remaining 44 national delegates and alternates and will adopt an official platform for the Republican Party of Louisiana.

Voters will be assigned to caucus sites based on the parish where they are registered to vote.

Fifteen delegates and 15 alternates to the state convention will be elected from each congressional district. Republican voters are eligible to vote in the congressional district where they were registered on Nov. 30 of this year. In order to participate, voters must present a driver's license or valid photo ID.

Those wishing to run for delegate or alternate delegate must submit an application to the Republican Party of Louisiana. Applications must be received at Republican Party State Headquarters, 11440 North Lake Sherwood, Suite A, Baton Rouge, LA 70816, no later than 5 p.m. Jan. 10, along with a qualifying fee of $100 for delegate candidates or $50 for alternate delegate candidates.

Application forms and instructions are available at www.lagop.com or by calling (225) 928-2998.

The state convention will begin at 10 a.m. Feb. 16 at the Old State Capitol in Baton Rouge. All of Louisiana's 2008 national convention delegates will be uncommitted, except that if a presidential candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote in the Feb. 9 presidential preference primary, state party rules require 20 of Louisiana's at-large delegates to support that candidate on the first ballot of the national convention.

If no presidential candidate receives a majority on Feb. 9, the at-large delegates will be uncommitted.

The caucus site in Natchitoches is at the Natchitoches Events Center, and serves Sabine, Natchitoches and Winn residents.

The Pineville caucus will be in Walden Gym at Louisiana College and serves Rapides, Vernon, Avoyelles, Concordia, Catahoula, Grant and LaSalle residents.

The Lake Charles caucus at the Central School Arts & Center will serve Beauregard and Allen residents, among others.

The Lafayette caucus at The Family Church will serve Evangeline residents, among others.