Nevada Shliach Slams Decision to Host Democratic Caucus on Shabbos
Observant Jews who want to caucus with Nevada Democrats to choose a nominee for the upcoming presidential election are out of luck. The caucus is scheduled for February 20th, which falls out on Shabbos.
Jewish community leaders said the timing of the caucus disenfranchises those who want to participate and pointed out that other high-profile early-state caucuses and primaries don’t fall on a Saturday.
Rabbi Shea Harlig of Chabad of Southern Nevada told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that there’s “no reason” a caucus couldn’t be on a weeknight. He noted that general elections, which also merit high participation, are on Tuesday nights.
A Democratic Party spokesman told the Review-Journal that the big event is set for that day and time to maximize participation.
“Saturday at 11 a.m. is the best time to increase access as much as possible for Democrats across Nevada to participate in our First in the West caucuses,” said Stewart Boss, spokesman for the Nevada State Democratic Party. “Keeping this date is critical to preserving our early-state status in the presidential nominating calendar.”
However, the Review-Journal notes that this isn’t an issue for other early voting states. Iowans caucused on Monday. New Hampshire’s primary, the first primary in the U.S., was held on a Tuesday. South Carolina’s Republican and Democratic primaries are both on Saturdays, Feb. 20 and Feb. 27. But that state’s voters of both parties can cast absentee ballots in advance for a variety of reasons, including religion.
In Nevada, participating in the presidential caucus for both parties requires showing up in person, unless someone is in the military.
Nevada’s caucuses will be the first indicators of which presidential candidates voters in the West favor, and could be a key factor in whether a candidate secures the nomination. Nevada will be state No. 3 for Democratic presidential candidates and No. 4 for Republican candidates. The Republican Caucus is set for Tuesday, February 23rd.
mitzvah man2
Orthodox Jews vote Republican.
Which is why they need to go to Democrat Caucuses
To caucus for the Democrat candidate that is most likely to lose.
Actually Orthodox Jews can never pledge to Republican or Democrat (they are both corrupt) but need to vote on the issues (and the most important one is supreme court nominations!)
Schneur Z. Hoffman (Montreal)
The US doesn’t need more votes for the democratic machine, especially when Israel has been on a wave of terrorist attacks. Here is a case where Chabad should stay out of politics. That is my 2 cents
Andrea Schonberger
I live in Washington state where we have done away with the voting booth–instead we mail in our ballots and postage is free if dropped off at any election ballot bin. This makes it very convenient for voting and it gives a person more time to really think about the issues and candidates before casting their vote.
Hache
Republican Caucuses are on Shabbos in Washington state.
applause
while its Good that he spoke out about it it is for the best as no Jew religious or otherwise should be voting even in a primary/caucus for any Democrat. Both Democratic candidates are antI Israel anti America Anti Freedom Hillary is a criminal Bernie is also an anti Semite self hating communist etc. my opinion it is forbidden to vote for them in any case
chaim
this years its the democates, next year the republicans. Freedom religion comes with a price….
Josef
Rabbi Harlig is “AV bais din ” of Las Vegas
CR
Presidential primaries are a waste of time and resource. As seen in recent engagements the decisionmakers are, ultimately, the so-called superdelegates. Their convention votes will go according to the whims and dictates of the party movers and shakers, not the popular primary votes. I.E. the fix is in and there is very little we can do as individuals to overcome that.
Let’s save our outrage for an issue that truly deserves it.
Milchig
You should look into the different types of punctuation that is available, free of charge, in the English language. Your nonsense would be easier to read.
DeClasse' Intellectual
do these Democrats really care about the people they represent or are they we know better what is good for you whether you like it or not ?