Preparing the party platform
Kootenai County Democratic Party field organizer Matt Kilburn encourages everyone to follow through with a promise to vote Saturday morning during the Democratic caucus in the Human Rights Education Institute. (DEVIN WEEKS/Press)
Paula Neils, chair of the Kootenai County Democratic Party, addresses attendees Saturday morning during the Kootenai County Democratic Party Caucus in the Human Rights Education Institute. About 40 people attended to help select up to 35 delegates who will represent Kootenai County during the Idaho Democratic Party State Convention in Caldwell in June. (DEVIN WEEKS/Press)
COEUR d’ALENE — Your voice cannot be heard if you don't vote.
This message was conveyed loud and clear Saturday morning during the Kootenai County Democratic Party Caucus at the Human Rights Education Institute.
“Every vote counts,” said Paula Neils, chair of the Kootenai County Democratic Party. "The more local the election is, the stronger your vote is."
Field organizer Matt Kilburn echoed Neils' sentiment.
“We have a lot of work to do this year,” he said to the attendees. "2016 was a very crucial year for voting and getting Democrats out to vote, but this year is really, really important. We have great candidates running locally that we’re hoping to get elected this year. We are doing everything that we can, and I can’t do it alone.”
About 40 people participated in the caucus to help select up to 35 delegates who will represent Kootenai County during the Idaho Democratic Party State Convention in Caldwell in June.
Jim and Alison Hammond of Coeur d'Alene attended the event to know more about the process and weigh in on who will be representing them at the convention.
“How do we get all the people to vote who haven’t voted?" Jim asked. "That would change politics considerably."
The couple said it can be frustrating being in the minority party, but this makes their votes all the more important.
"We were told a couple weeks ago at a party that there’s no reason to vote Democrat because the Republicans are always going to win," Alison said. "That really, really irritated me."
"We just think it’s important that Idaho politics become more caring for the average man and woman,” Jim said.
Once the delegates have been decided, Neils explained that they will have the ability to influence the party platform and change phrases and wording if necessary.
"It’s a very democratic process," she said. "They all get to go up and state their case for why they want a certain change to be made."
When Kilburn approached the mic, he pulled out a placard that read "I will vote."
"We are genuinely saving democracy in this state," he said. "We need to do everything that we can to get Democrats elected."