TO: Interested Parties
FROM: Lyn Utrecht Campaign Counsel
RE: Caucus Irregularities
The campaign legal hotline has been flooded with calls containing specific accusations of irregularities and voter intimidation against the Obama campaign. This activity is undemocratic, probably illegal, and reflects a wanton disregard for the caucus process.
The three most egregious categories are:
1) Irregularities: Prematurely Taking Precinct Convention Packets by Obama Campaign
Numerous calls have shown that Obama supporters prematurely removed convention packets from polling places. Packets may not legally given out until 7:15 PM or when the last voter has cast a ballot in the primary. The Texas State Party warned the Obama campaign in writing that they may not take these packets early or remove them from the polling locations. The Party directed that these irregularities be reported to law enforcement “since they amount to criminal violations.” The Party stated “removing convention packets … will not be tolerated.”
A sampling of the precincts where this occurred are:
659 – Tarrant
709 – Houston
2316 – Tarrant
1205 – Dallas
3127 – Bexar
3082 – Fort Bend
18/224 – Harris
3221 – Dallas
87 – El Paso
851 – Houston
115 – Harris
470 – Galveston
388 – Harris
3000 – Dallas
1214 – Dallas
20 – Medina
205 – Walker
2) Voter Intimidation: Lock-out of Clinton caucus goers by Obama Campaign
Numerous calls have been received that the Obama campaign has taken over caucus sites and locked the doors, excluding Clinton campaign supporters from participating in the caucus. The Clinton supporters have been unable to enter the premises to caucus. In at least one instance, law enforcement was called and forcibly opened the caucus site.
A sampling of the precincts where this occurred are:
4401 – Dallas
2052 – Tarrant
4402 – Dallas
75 – Harris
18 – Hardin
259 – Harris
124 – Nueces
4050 – Tarrant
115 – Harris
6 – Roma County
78 – Jefferson
117 – Denton
- There are numerous instances of Obama supporters filing out precinct convention sign-in sheets during the day and submitting them as completed vote totals at caucus. This is expressly against the rules. The sign-in sheets were copied by the Obama campaign from the Texas Democratic Party website and taken by supporters to various polling places to sign-up caucus goers prior to the start of the caucuses