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Updated: 9:27 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 28, 2008 | Posted: 6:20 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 28, 2008
EL PASO, Texas —
"Think of it as the only chance you will ever have in your life to vote twice in the same election without going to jail for it."
That's what former president Bill Clinton told his wife's supporters last Saturday. The Obama campaign has labeled it the Texas two-step. Both campaigns are right: You get to vote twice in the presidential primary if you are a Democrat.
"You only vote once in the primary election, then you go and vote at your precinct convention, which takes place after the polls close," said Javier Chacon with the El Paso Elections Department.
You can vote at any of the early voting locations until 7 p.m. on Friday, or all day on Election Day. Then when the polls close on March 4 at 7 p.m., the precinct conventions begin. At the precinct convention, also known as a caucus, you vote again.
Oscar Mireles said he's been voting since 1954, and while he understands the primary process, he believes he's in the minority.
"Most people don't. They're poorly informed I don't know if it's a state process or the practice, most people don't know what they are supposed to do or what they can do," said Mireles.
KFOX found that the Democratic presidential primary process was confusing also for those that are campaigning for candidates in other Democratic races.
"A lot of us don't actually know what that means, vote twice, if you can do it or not," said Jesus Girard who was outside the El Paso County Courthouse campaigning for a state representative.
"I'm out here campaigning for someone, and I don't know about it, so I can't say that a lot of people would know about it," said Benjamin Cooper from West El Paso.
The Texas Democratic Primary Explanation: Texas will send a total of 228 delegates to the Democratic National Convention. 126 delegates will be assigned based on primary results in 31 state Senate districts (instead of allocating delegates by its 32 congressional districts like many states). The number of delegates in each Senate district varies based on previous Democratic turnout in the last two general elections. The delegates from each Senate district are assigned to candidates proportionally based on the percentages they receive on primary day. Of the remaining 102 delegates, 67 are determined through a convention process that begins at precinct conventions (caucuses) on the night of March 4 and culminates with delegate allocation based on each candidate's delegate strength at the state convention on June 6-8. Of those 67 delegates, 42 are "at large" rank-and-file delegates and 25 are pledged party leaders, legislators, and local elected officials. The remaining 35 delegates are "unpledged" delegates, including 32 so-called "superdelegates" who are DNC members, members of Congress, a former House Speaker and a former DNC chair. Three other delegate slots are reserved for highly-honored state Democrats, such as respected former officeholders. 126 senatorial district level delegates allocated by primary results. 42 at-large delegates and 25 pledged party leaders, Democratic mayors and legislators, all allocated by the presidential preference of delegates attending the State convention (with a 15 percent threshold). 32 superdelegates made up of members of Congress, members of the DNC, past House Speakers and former DNC chairs. 3 unpledged delegates (Add-Ons) elected through a three-tier, post-primary convention process. -COURTESY: www.lonestarproject.net
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