March 16: Colorado Precinct Caucus Night

Don't stay home Tuesday night, March 16. Go to your neighborhood precinct caucus and stand up for children and public education. You will be helping shape the future of Colorado's public schools.

It is absolutely critical that public education employees participate in political party caucuses. Education is among the top issues in every public poll, even when jobs and the economy are the most important to the voters. The candidates nominated for elected office by the people who attend caucuses are the same politicians who will affect your life as an education employee. Elected officials -- from the Governor to the Legislature and the State Board of Education, even Congress and the President -- make decisions that affect every aspect of public education: school funding, content standard and student assessment, discipline and school safety, school governance, curriculum, your employment and retirement, fair dismissal, licensing, and much more.

Besides, participating in America's political process is one of the best ways you can model good citizenship for your students.

The precinct caucus is the grassroots level of Colorado's political process. The first step in choosing candidates, your caucus is nearby in your neighborhood in a school, library, church basement, rec center, or someone's home. The place must be designated by an outside sign 10 days before Caucus Night, so look around and you will easily find your caucus location. Caucuses usually start at 7:00 p.m. You will attend the one that matches your political party registration: Republican or Democratic.

You have to be a registered voter to participate and vote in your precinct caucus. Citizens who are not registered to vote or someone not affiliated with a political party can attend a precinct caucus as an observer, but they cannot fully participate.

At your caucus, you will hear candidates speak on many issues, including public education. You may vote on resolutions about issues, including those that matter to education employees, such as school funding and vouchers. And you will elect delegates to your county party assembly, the next level of Colorado party politics.

Delegates selected at this year's caucuses to attend their county assemblies will be based on the results of U.S. Senate preference polls. CEA has not made a recommendation in the race for U.S. Senate. The incumbent, Sen. Michael Bennet, was appointed to fill the vacancy created by the appointment of Ken Salazar to Secretary of the Interior. The CEA Fund for Children and Public Education has not interviewed Republican or Democratic candidates for this office.

CEA also does not have a recommended candidate for Governor. This is an open seat created by Governor Bill Ritter's decision not to run in 2010.

CEA's downloadable Precinct Caucus Guide, complete with sample resolutions here.

Colorado Republican Party Caucus Information.

Colorado Democratic Party Caucus Information.