Over 2,000 at RP Rally in ID Falls, entire county has 481 votes for RP

[JJ2]

Paul drew over 2,000 supporters to his rally in Idaho Falls (http://www.ronpaul2012.com/2012/03/06/ron-paul-draws-more-than-2000-voters-to-idaho-falls-town-hall-meeting/), and yet he only gets 481 votes in the entire county (Bonneville County): http://www.cnn.com/election/2012/primaries/county/table/r/id

This was the rally last night where Ron Paul gave his best speech ever and begged for their votes. I thought for sure it would result in a larger vote turnout.

Are Paul's supporters really this bad at actually caucusing/voting?

Or is it rigged?

[Okie RP fan]

Perhaps a mixture of both?

I want to stay away from the "theories" until there is more evidence to start questioning the outcomes, in such a fashion, in a credible way.

[Havax]

Small state, probably people driving from other counties.

[agaiziunas]

Or is it rigged?

Is that a rhetorical question?

[Mani]

Can anyone vote or only registered republicans? Because maybe that 2000 is 1/3rd independent and 1/3rd democrat and a bunch of under age attendants.

I'm not making excuses, I think it's mind boggling that the rallies are less than the vote. I was independent for a long time and switched registered republican back in '08 to vote for him.



Paul drew over 2,000 supporters to his rally in Idaho Falls (http://www.ronpaul2012.com/2012/03/06/ron-paul-draws-more-than-2000-voters-to-idaho-falls-town-hall-meeting/), and yet he only gets 481 votes in the entire county (Bonneville County): http://www.cnn.com/election/2012/primaries/county/table/r/id

This was the rally last night where Ron Paul gave his best speech ever and begged for their votes. I thought for sure it would result in a larger vote turnout.

Are Paul's supporters really this bad at actually caucusing/voting?

Or is it rigged?

[QWDC]

I have to wonder how many of those people are actually from Idaho.

[Keith and stuff]

Yes. You have to figure they likely came from many counties. Many of them weren't his supporters at all. They were Democrats. They were friends and family of supporters. They were undecideds. They were non-voters. They were people interested in hearing what he had to say. They were people there because their political science teacher offered them extra credit to listen to a politician and take notes. Perhaps some of them worked during the caucus.

I don't know why so many people think there is some vast conspiracy but I find it embarrassing. Ron Paul did excellent where I live. He did excellent in the states that border me. There is no conspiracy. Paul's ideas are most popular in Northern New England. It's the least Religious part of the US and Republicans tend to be moderates/libertarians. Most Mormon voters are going to vote for a Mormon candidate. It's pretty simple.

[Johncjackson]

Small state, probably people driving from other counties.

This PLUS other STATES, too. RP rallies are often packed with a lot of non-eligible voters.

[BlakeB]

Well first off, yes it could be rigged and there is a blog addressing that with some great info. But theres several factors here: 1) How many of them were from that county, 2) How many were republicans, and 3) How many were underage?

Its great that Paul can draw such enormous crowds and insane enthusiasm (I witnessed it first hand in Arizona), its heartbreaking that these other candidates who cant even draw a person to hold a welcome mat are winning by such large margins. Which then could also be explained that MOST americans dont even really know who they are voting for other than that candidate said something they liked and they just voted for the basis of the party and the fact that they voted at all.
Paul will win most of these delegates and almost everybody knows it....hes second in delegates and I really think we are in for a surprise strong finish at the convention. Maybe not a win, but a strong second and wonderful stage set for other candidates that hold the same views as Paul.

[Tudo]

RIGGED!

[ssjevot]

I'll tell you based on the Ron Paul rallies here in WA at least 1/3 either couldn't vote or didn't vote (didn't register in time, didn't bother showing up, etc.), that is a conservative estimate. Our people suck at voting, end of story. Half the voters I ID'd in my own precinct didn't show up (one didn't register to vote despite repeated reminders).

[JJ2]

I'll tell you based on the Ron Paul rallies here in WA at least 1/3 either couldn't vote or didn't vote (didn't register in time, didn't bother showing up, etc.), that is a conservative estimate. Our people suck at voting, end of story. Half the voters I ID'd in my own precinct didn't show up (one didn't register to vote despite repeated reminders).

Yeah, but this is more like 80% not voting and that's assuming nobody voted in that county who was not at the rally. :(

[mport1]

People can drive from other counties or states to watch Ron Paul speak. This happens very frequently. The size of a crowd should have nothing to do with how many votes he will get.

[liveandletlive]

whats their excuse, college basketball? :mad:

[Anti Federalist]

On the other hand, it's foolish to dismiss the idea of "dirty tricks" as being outside the realm of any reasonable possibility.

The US has a long and sordid history of dirty, rigged, ginned and tampered with elections.


Yes. You have to figure they likely came from many counties. Many of them weren't his supporters at all. They were Democrats. They were friends and family of supporters. They were undecideds. They were non-voters. They were people interested in hearing what he had to say. They were people there because their political science teacher offered them extra credit to listen to a politician and take notes. Perhaps some of them worked during the caucus.

I don't know why so many people think there is some vast conspiracy but I find it embarrassing. Ron Paul did excellent where I live. He did excellent in the states that border me. There is no conspiracy. Paul's ideas are most popular in Northern New England. It's the least Religious part of the US and Republicans tend to be moderates/libertarians. Most Mormon voters are going to vote for a Mormon candidate. It's pretty simple.

[RabbitMan]

It's totally true. The Youth vote we anchor on just sucks. The Indie vote we anchor on isn't passionate. I repeatedly reminded a friend to register to vote, he finally remembered 11:30PM the night before the Caucus and it didn't get processed and I face-palmed SO HARD. On the flip-side, experiencing the Caucus first hand, I can tell you we owned the delegate process, but also that caucuses are incredibly chaotic and confusing. I understand why people can get ballots wrong, vote tallies marked incorrect, etc. The rules are almost non-existent and you just make them up for your neighbors as you go.

That being said, I don't believe there was vote tampering in Washington State. Mitt Romney is seen as the only safe, sane choice in a group of loons. Santorum voters just liked him because he hates gays and abortion and Iran. That's just the country we live in.

[The_Ruffneck]

Perhaps a mixture of both?

I want to stay away from the "theories" until there is more evidence to start questioning the outcomes, in such a fashion, in a credible way.
What about Karl Rove joking about precincts in the Iowa caucuses losing votes because of missing trucks?
How obvious does it need to get for you?

[alucard13mmfmj]

I think a big part of the failure is because of our enthusiastic supporters, the same supporters that help grow this movement. Supporters would drive from other counties, states, and even other countries (my friend drove many many hours from Canada to see Ron in North Dakota). Large crowds might deter voters who dont like loud places or deter voters who dont like huge, lively crowds. If you were an older person, I think you don't want to be in a crowd where you might get pushed around and fall and break your hip.

I also think this hurts our chances of winning Congressional districts that might award delegates in certain states. Let's say you hold a rally in that congressional district and 2000 people got into the rally AND there was an overflow of 1000 outside (many who are from the district). The people who got into the rally are: 1000 are from the Congressional district and 1000 are outside of the Congressional district or out of state.

So... we lose the congressional district because of 1000 vote difference. 1000 votes that we may have got if the 1000 outside of the rally switched with 1000 that were not from the district.

[Noob]

the newspaper said that were people from Salt Lake City and parts of Utah there at the rally.

[69360]

Small state, probably people driving from other counties.


I have to wonder how many of those people are actually from Idaho.


People can drive from other counties or states to watch Ron Paul speak. This happens very frequently. The size of a crowd should have nothing to do with how many votes he will get.

Yep, people will drive a few hours to see him speak. I'm guilty of it and I'm sure sure a lot of us are. I've driven 2 hours to NJ to see him and 3 hours to VA to see him and Rand.

No conspiracy.

Oh well.

[Havax]

It's totally true. The Youth vote we anchor on just sucks. The Indie vote we anchor on isn't passionate. I repeatedly reminded a friend to register to vote, he finally remembered 11:30PM the night before the Caucus and it didn't get processed and I face-palmed SO HARD. On the flip-side, experiencing the Caucus first hand, I can tell you we owned the delegate process, but also that caucuses are incredibly chaotic and confusing. I understand why people can get ballots wrong, vote tallies marked incorrect, etc. The rules are almost non-existent and you just make them up for your neighbors as you go.

That being said, I don't believe there was vote tampering in Washington State. Mitt Romney is seen as the only safe, sane choice in a group of loons. Santorum voters just liked him because he hates gays and abortion and Iran. That's just the country we live in.

Watch it, old timer. Ron Paul consistently wins us young demographic in most every state and does the worst among old people. Old people will ALWAYS turn out in higher numbers because there are more of them and they have nothing better to do than to sit around and collect their SS checks and ruin the country by voting like they have been their entire lives. Why don't we talk about 2% of 65+ year olds we got in Georgia.

[pacelli]

People drive from out of state to see Ron speak.

People drive several hours across the state, from several counties away to see Ron speak.

[EBounding]

It's too late now, but it'd be nice if he asked at the end of every speech "How many of you are going to vote?"

[DerailingDaTrain]

Paul drew over 2,000 supporters to his rally in Idaho Falls (http://www.ronpaul2012.com/2012/03/06/ron-paul-draws-more-than-2000-voters-to-idaho-falls-town-hall-meeting/), and yet he only gets 481 votes in the entire county (Bonneville County): http://www.cnn.com/election/2012/primaries/county/table/r/id

This was the rally last night where Ron Paul gave his best speech ever and begged for their votes. I thought for sure it would result in a larger vote turnout.

Are Paul's supporters really this bad at actually caucusing/voting?

Or is it rigged?

You do know that if RP was speaking in Raleigh (which is about 2 hrs from me in NC) I would still attend the speech? Just because people show up for that event doesn't meant they're from there.