Winter storm stunts caucus turnout in Pocatello
Published at
POCATELLO — An unseasonal winter storm and icy roads diminished voter turnout for the 2024 Republican Presidential Caucus in Bannock County.
EastIdahoNews.com was at the Bannock County District 29 caucus site — at the Museum of Clean in Pocatello — for an hour and counted fewer than 10 voters.
One of those voters, Kelie Hobson, said she nearly crashed en route to the caucus site from her home, where she received eight inches of snow in the past 24 hours. However, it was “very important” to make the treacherous trek and lodge her vote for former president Donald Trump, “otherwise I wouldn’t be here,” she added.
SueAnn Hodge, the head of the District 29 caucus location, told EastIdahoNews.com the weather “greatly” impacted voter turnout.
“Oh my goodness, yes,” Hodge said when asked if turnout was lower than expected.
Despite weather concerns, Hodge explained postponing the caucus was never a consideration, as votes had to be tabulated and turned over to the State.
Hodge did not allow EastIdahoNews.com to enter the caucus site after the Idaho GOP ruled media would not be granted access. Hodge explained that she sees both sides of the argument — allowing and barring media from caucus — but as it was explained to her, the decision was made in Boise in order to prevent issues.
Hobson said the decision to bar media created a “big issue” as far as transparency is concerned.
Greg Romriell, a two-time Idaho Senate candidate, told EastIdahoNews.com he was not aware of the decision but did not agree with it.
Romriell explained his own checkered past as it pertains to media coverage of elections. He said his candidacy was affected by what he believes to have been “misrepresented” information and “mistruths” published about him as a candidate. After losing the Idaho State Senate District 29 General Election to Roy Lacey in 2012, Romriell fell to Jake Stevens in the 2022 Primary Election for the Idaho House of Representatives District 29B seat.
“That’s interesting,” Romriell said of the Idaho GOP decision to bar media from caucus. “I think that’s inappropriate. I think the news media — as bad as they are or as good as they are — needs to be present at everything.”
Romriell went on to explain that the election process is not something that should be done behind closed doors in a democratic republic.
As for braving the weather to cast his vote for Trump, Romriell said it was an important journey.
“I think it’s of utmost importance,” he said of his voting duty. “If there was only one candidate, I would be out here voting for them. It’s the only way (voters) have to have any control or any say in what happens.”
He also voiced a concern over something other than the weather and and the barring of media. He said, upon entering the caucus site, he noticed campaign literature from “select” candidates — including Scott Cleveland, who is running for the District 2 seat in the U.S. House of Representatives currently held by Mike Simpson.
Romriell told EastIdahoNews.com he believes candidates should not be allowed to campaign at voting sites.
Votes from all 13 Bannock County caucus sites — and 210 statewide — will be called into Idaho Republican Headquarters where they will be tabulated. State results will then be released publicly — here.
