I just got home from the Caucus in Seattle Washington

[Ediacara]

The last time I caucused it was 2000. Maybe 30 or 40 people showed up then. There were easily 600 people in the elementary school gym we used (there were 5 precincts in the gym), with equal numbers in other big rooms within the school. I wish I had a camera not only for that, but for the sign I kept looking at that said "Maximum occupancy 48 persons."

Our precinct went heavily for Obama, 78 to 28 IIRC, with 3 uncommitted. After the "change your mind please" speeches, no one switched sides, including the three uncommitted!

I live on Beacon Hill in Seattle, which is probably the most diverse neighborhood in the city (as in actually diverse, and not predominantly one race or orientation). I was a little put off by the breakdown of the voting; my neighbors voted for Obama if they were white, young, and straight, or black; and they voted for Clinton if they were older, white, and straight; Asian; or gay. There was almost no deviation from this breakdown that I saw.

One thing is clear: there was a huge amount of excitement from all quarters, as well as a lot of talk about a Clinton/Obama ticket.

[LaurenG]

1. Right on! Thanks for the update.

:hi:

[Ediacara]

20. No problem

[thunder rising]

2. goooooObama!! Thanks

[Yael]

3. "600 people" -- "Maximum occupancy 48 persons"

I hope the remaining caucus states are paying attention to this...

[Ediacara]

7. I got there "early" at 12:20 and it was already crowded

By the time the voting actually began (at 1:30) it was beyond standing room only.

[Whisp]

8. they broke the rules!

all votes should now go to Clinton!

:rofl:

[Ediacara]

11. Well, even if you just count the Clinton vote it was still way more than 48

[Catshrink]

4. Thanks for the report...

I grew up not too far from there, along Rainier Avenue.

[Ediacara]

5. This was Beacon Hill Elementary on 14th S

[Catshrink]

15. Othello & Rainier, about.

It was a while ago.

[bilgewaterbill]

6. Obama/Cinton?

[Ediacara]

9. Or that too

:-)

[usregimechange]

10. Kick!

[tekisui]

12. Let's just have Co-President's.

[dawgman]

13. 46-2347 here

and there must have been a couple thousand people scattered around Olympic Hills elementary.

FWIW, my precinct came out 5-2 Obama I believe. Those are delegate counts of course.

[BeatleBoot]

14. Let's see Maximum Occupancy 48 people...

Let's assume that number was arrived at due to public safety concerns of a fire or something.

So taking the public safety concerns out of the picture, let's assume the elementary gymnasium holds double the safe amount. Say 96 people.

Given that you say 600 people were there, that's 6.25 times the amount of people that cannot safely assemble there. Or 12.5 times the people who can safely assemble there.

Did anyone call the authorities since this was such an unsafe climate for the public?

It's a little unbelievable, but okay.

[Ediacara]

17. They opened the door to the outside to cool the place off

And the organizers suggested that if people were too hot or claustrophobic and were not planning on changing their minds, that they're allowed to go home after they've signed in. I don't think many people took that option.

[yewberry]

16. Me, too.

We got about 350 people (for four precincts) and the place was jammed. All four precincts went for Obama by about 4 to 1.

I'm in West Seattle, near Delridge. It's actually a very diverse area, too. It was great to see people coming out--in 2000, they had 26 people show up from my precinct; today 105 people came.

And I'm a delegate now.

[HughLefty1]

18. Thanks for the report..

I work in a very diverse part of Los Angeles and have noticed the same thing about the breakdown of the voting. Young white voters/blacks for Obama and older voters/Hispanics/Asians/Gays for Clinton. I hope this doesn't become a major problem for us. I've talked to many that would love a Clinton/Obama or Obama/Clinton ticket. It seems the candidates' surrogates, the media and many divisive people on this site are the ones who shit on this idea.

[Ediacara]

19. At first, I thought, "No, they'll think they have to have a white guy"

but the more I think about it, the more primaries and caucuses that roll in, the more people I speak to, I think they're destined to run together.