SPARKS, Nev. - The Washoe County Democratic Party held its county convention today. Among the business items was the allotment of delegates for Senators Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Barack Obama (D-Ill.) as well as former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.).
Clinton's campaign was initially entitled to 697 delegates, the Edwards campaign to 152 and the Obama campaign to 855. In the first alignment, 505 Clinton delegates were seated, 65 Edwards delegates and 697 Obama delegates. After a controversial second alignment involving Edwards delegates, Clinton received 668 delegates while Obama's count went up to 915. At the end of the third and final alignment, the Clinton campaign earned 683 delegates, falling short of the initial entitled delegates for the New York senator's bid while the Obama campaign surged ahead with 972 delegates.
In the final math, tabulated by the county party's Credentials Committee, the Clinton campaign sent 232 delegates to the state Democratic party convention while the Obama campaign sent 329 delegates.
During the second alignment, convention chairman Matt Dickson announced the recommendation of the Credentials Committee to seat all Edwards delegates and alternates as delegates, but those present would not fill the entire 152 entitled delegates. As a compromise, the committee recommended the unseated delegates not present be awarded 50-50 to both Clinton and Obama campaigns. Drawing uproars from both Edwards and Obama supporters, demanding Edwards delegates be awarded proportionately, 5-to-4, Dickson asked for a motion to suspend the rules and vote to adopt the first recommendation of a 50-50 allotment.
After voting was completed, delegates made a motion on the floor to amend the first motion to award not present Edwards delegates based on a proportionate 5-to-4 basis. The motion carried, with boos from Clinton supporters and Edwards delegates were so awarded. The entire process was debated and completed in over an hour's time.
Other items on the agenda included, adopting the county Democratic party's platform, which was sent back to committee twice to include the defense of Roe vs. Wade under the health care section of the platform.
As the evening wound down, the county delegates in each presidential preference group were give 30 minutes to collect no more than five signatures for those wishing to go onto represent Clinton and Obama at the state Democratic party convention, which will also be held in Reno, May 16-17 at the Grand Sierra Resort.
Unconfirmed reports at the Washoe County convention were that Clark County's (Las Vegas and surrounding areas) convention was dissolved because of the logistic inability to seat all delegates and inability to come to decisions on any motions made. The Nevada Democratic Party's Web site currently shows Clark County's delegate count as dash marks.