Source:
Omaha SteveHeavy turnout in Douglas county. Not enough traffic control, meeting space, parking, etc... One location has people standing outside in below freezing temps (wind chill low 20's) after registering for lack of space. Douglas (Omaha) is the largest county by population. Marta and I will be leaving in a little over an hour for our county. There will be no release of results until after ALL counties have reported late this afternoon.
http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2835&u_sid=10254663Published Saturday | February 9, 2008
Nebraska Democratic caucuses are underway
BY TIM ELFRINK
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER
The Nebraska Democratic caucuses are under way in Douglas County.
About 1,000 caucusgoers packed the Omaha North High School auditorium by 10 a.m., filling every seat and lining the walls and aisles. Several hundred other caucusgoers filled the high school's lunch room.
The North High caucus got under way promptly at 10 a.m., with supporters of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama going to designated areas.
These are the first-ever Democratic caucuses in Nebraska, and there were early indications that turnout in Douglas County was heavy.
Democrats will caucus today in 83 of the state's 93 counties, with final results expected this evening.
http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2835&u_sid=1025421810:27 a.m.
Caucus sites are being overwhelmed across Omaha.
Thousands upon thousands have shown up, eager to take part in this historic vote.
At the Elkhorn campus of Metro Community College Campus, the lines are wrapped around the building.
Confusion reigns. Some are worried they're not going to be able to caucus.
No one knows how the counting can be done amid the cacaphony.
* * *
10:21 a.m.
Its time for "Plan B" at Monroe Middle School.
The school has been overun with too many people and too little room in the school's auditorium.
The plan now is to cuacus in the parking lot. "Once all the people are registered, the caucus will be held in the lot," said state Sen. Tom White.
"This is democracy. Everyone is going to get to vote," White said as he appeared to be paddling hard to keep his head above water.
* * *
9:51 a.m.
It was wall to wall people at the Elkhorn campus of Metro Community College.
"I didn't know there were this many Democrats in Nebraska," said Chris Colen, 40.
* * *
9:46 a.m.
The line is now about a block at Monroe Middle School and getting longer by the moment. People keep pouring in.
Most everybody seems thrilled with the turnout but some grumbling has begun.
"I think we need some Republicans to organize it," quipped Mark Rousseau, a sociology preffesor at UNO.
Rousseau said the Douglas Democratic Party should have had more than 15 sites for the county. He noted Lancaster had 53.
* * *
9:30 a.m.
Everyone is patient, but excitement reigns.
"It's absolutely the best thing I've seen seen in decades of being politically active," said state Sen. Tom White.
The lines of people switching parties is long.
Many said they were Republicans or independents who wanted to have a say in the presidential contest. Others wanted change.
"I'm basically fed up with the Republican debacle of this current system. I'm ready for something new," aaid Valada Powell, a Republican who filled out a form to become a Democrat before caucusing.
* * *
9:23 a.m.
Confusion is the order of the day.
People don't know which lines to wait in. Some lines are for people switching parties or which lines are for signing in.
Within minutes of nine o'clock the lines began to form outside. "I'm just excited about having a chance to participate," said Heather Fryer.
* * *
9:14 a.m.
Let the caucusing begin.
Lines are forming across caucus sites in omaha including Monroe Middle Cchool in central Omaha.
More than 100 have gathered
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