www.WrensJournal.blogspot.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 16, 2006

For more contact:
Phil Perington (D), (303)832-4578
John Wren (R), (720)495-4949

RALLY FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD CAUCUS

Monday, March 20 at noon a rally in support of the Colorado neighborhood caucus-assembly system for nominating to the primary ballot will be held on the west steps of the Colorado Capitol.
It is being co-hosted by Colorado Speaker of the House Rep. Andrew Romanoff and Senate Minority Leader Sen. Tom Wiens. Speakers will include Colorado State Chairs Bob Martinez (R) and Pat Waak (D).

The rally is being organized by an informal, non-partisan citizens committee that is mostly comprised of people from Save the Caucus, a group that was formed in 2002 to defeat Amendment 29 which would have killed the caucus. It is being sponsored by the Denver South Optimist club, who is also inviting other Optimist Clubs from around the state.

At the rally an announcement will be made about the release of a TV public service announcement with Mayor John Hickenlooper and Gov. Bill Owens encouraging people to attend their neighborhood caucus. The PSA will be available on the Google Video Store. Supporters of the caucus are being encouraged to email a link to the spot to their email list and to local media outlets across the state encouraging them to play it.

It will also be announced that the Colorado penguin is being adopted as the official mascot of the Colorado neighborhood caucus. Money will be raised for yard signs and an ad campaign to raise awareness of the 2008 caucus.

The Colorado neighborhood caucus is held every two years and was recently ratified by legislation in which several of the recommendations of the Colorado Caucus Committee were adopted, including a change in the date. The state is divided into over 3,000 neighborhoods where meetings are held to discuss issues and elect delegates to nominating assemblies. The system was established in 1912 as part of the Teddy Roosevelt progressive reforms that dramatically strengthened the voice of the common person in deciding who should represent them in local, state, and national offices.

###