While the political eyes of the nation are riveted on primaries in South Carolina, Florida, and Nevada, let's not forget that Wyoming Democrats will be deciding 18 delegates and four super-delegates during the next five months. Unlike our brethren and sistren in the Wyoming Republican Party, we will take our full slate of delegates to the national convention. That's because we didn't monkey with our calendar to get a little extra publicity by luring presidential candidates to the state. The Wyoming Repubs did this, lost half their delegates, and only drew visits from a few candidates. Mitt Romney flew in, but he's almost a favorite son due to his Mormonism, and the western part of Wyoming is basically a Utah annex. Romney's son Josh owns a ranch in Wyoming, and participated in the Repubs' state convention in Cheyenne a few weeks ago.
So, the Wyoming Democratic Party calendar is full. We'll know our delegates at the end of Memorial Day weekend in Jackson. Who knows, the national race may still be undecided at this point and the lateness of our selection may actually give us some publicity. Our county party held a mock debate and straw poll last September and Barack Obama finished first, with Hillary Clinton way down the list. Don't count on too many Hillary delegates coming out of our state convention. But who knows -- maybe her support will increase as she gains delegates on the national scene.
If you wish to read the details of the WDP's delegate selection process, all 47 pages of it, go to http://www.wyomingdemocrats.com. Meanwhile, here's the party's list of key 2008 events:
February 22: Deadline to register as a Democrat in your county in order to participate in the county caucuses.
March 1: Delegate and alternate candidates may obtain statement of candidacy forms from this website or by calling the state party office at 800-729-3367.
March 8: County Caucuses and Conventions held, and Democrats attending the county conventions vote for their preferred presidential candidate.
April 30, 5 p.m.: Deadline for Democrats wishing to represent Wyoming at the 2008 Democratic National Convention to file statement of candidacy forms with the state party office.
May 23-24: State Convention in Jackson. Delegates to the state convention elect Wyoming's delegates and alternates to the national convention.
August 25-28: National Convention, Denver. Our party formally nominates its presidential candidate.
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