Democrats gather to pick delegates, president

Vice President Al Gore is expected to be a shoo-in with Nevada Democrats.

Carson City Central Committee Chairman Mark Shepler said former Sen. Bill Bradley's lack of a organization will hurt him in the state.

"Looks to me like Gore is going to clean up," Shepler said. "There is not a lot of support for Bradley up here.

Shepler said Democrats who want to get involved should be at the precinct caucuses March 12 at the Brewery Arts Center. Meetings will be 2-5 p.m. upstairs.

Nevada's political parties pick their nominees for president at the caucus meetings. According to Shepler, a candidate for president must receive at least 15 percent of the vote.

"People who are interested in the platform committee can sign up there," he said.

Shepler said one item that has received local support is the Gardeners Reclaiming Our Waysides effort to landscape the bypass.

"We're the state capital, so we have an argument we can go to the party with," he said. "We'll try and get something done."

"If you want to get to the national convention, you have to start in the precinct caucuses," Shepler said.

The Carson convention is April 15, starting at 9 a.m.

Douglas County Democrats are invited to mass precinct meetings and presidential preference caucuses March 12 from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., at the Western Nevada Community College Douglas campus in Minden.

This is the only chance that Democrats will have to vote their preference among Democratic candidates for president, said Gail Turle. All 33 precincts in Douglas County participate, including Lake Tahoe, Topaz Lake and the Carson Valley.

Western Nevada Community College, Douglas, is located at 1680 Bently Parkway South, off Buckeye Road, east of Highway 395, in Minden.

"This is a perfect opportunity for local Democrats to become involved in the party on every level: local, state, and national," said Turle.

At this meeting, precinct members can nominate themselves or others to participate in the county convention. Participants will vote their presidential preference, which is Nevada's equivalent to the primary elections being held in other states.

After participation at this level, voters may go the April 15 county convention at the WNCC Douglas campus to qualify to represent the county on the state level and may even qualify to participate in the national convention.

There are an estimated 7,000 registered Democrat voters in Douglas County.

For more information about the precinct meeting, or becoming involved in the Democratic Central Committee of Douglas County, contact Turle, at 749-5366 or Evan Beavers, 782-5110.