Election 2016: They Threw a Democratic Party and Everybody Came

In Boulder, Violet to Iris Avenues were bumper to bumper on 19th Street and side streets as people abandoned their cars on the side of the road to rush to make the 7:00 deadline to vote in their party’s caucus. Those flooding the street in cars and on foot were rushing to be inside Crestiview Elementary School on Sumac Avenue and Centennial Middle School on Norwood Avenue.

As cars approached Norwood Avenue, a pedestrian was yelling to drivers, “Don’t make a right turn, cars are gridlocked, you’ll never get out!

Those standing in line to enter Centennial Middle School stretched all the way out the door, down the street, around the football field on both sides, and down the race track. One voter who was bored decided to count waiting voters and said that her count reached over 2,300 not counting those who were already inside and those who came after her.

After waiting in line an hour some gave up, but most who stayed were in high spirits since the line continued to advance and the temperatures were warm enough to bear the cold. But after an hour and a half, about 8:30, more gave up.

Angelique Espinoza who is seeking a state house seat in District 10 came out to talk to voters to warn that it was possible that not everyone would fit in the building, “If they are not able to get everyone in before that happens, those people who haven’t been able to register yet, won’t be able to vote. I don’t think that’s right and I also think it would be important for them to send people out to let people know what’s going on.”

A little past 8:30, those at the end of the line finally made it to the entrance. The last 50 people were refused a registration card as registration was cut off.

Erin was a Precinct 500 Caucus Captain for Bernie Sanders and said that she had to push for the votes of latecomers to be counted, “I had to push for a recount as more people flowed in and the Democratic representative of the party was not going to let that happen and as [those who waited in line] continued to advocate for that and the people who continued to show up would not, not let their vote count, we were able to add those people to our count.”

Jimmy was standing in line with his friend who did get to vote, while he did not. The top issue affecting the youth who were interviewed for this report was campaign finance reform.