Record numbers flock to Dems’ caucus

With thousands in line, Ada County Democrats are scrambling to mobilize volunteers with clipboards to collect completed ballots from those still outside waiting in line for the presidential caucus. The Qwest Arena has a capacity of 6,500, and state Democratic Party spokesman Chuck Oxley said, “We can put a thousand people in the hallways around.” The hope is to collect everyone’s ballots for the first round of voting by 7 p.m. Mountain time, even if folks are still waiting in line. “So they’ll be counted, even though they’re outside,” Oxley said. “That’s how we’re coping with the overflow of people.”

This year’s presidential caucus clearly is setting a record for Idaho. The last time Idaho Democrats caucused, 5,000 people participated statewide, 2,000 of those in Ada County. Tonight, there are expected to be more than 5,000 in Ada County alone.