Nevada Alliance Brings Record Number of Retirees to State’s Caucuses
From: Alliance for Retired Americans 1/25/08

The Nevada Alliance for Retired Americans (NARA) took the lead on bringing retirees into the state’s first early Presidential caucuses on Saturday, January 19.  Board members were taught how to become temporary precinct chairs and encourage others to participate in a strong, educated turnout.  Training was also conducted for members at last summer’s NARA convention, offering participants the opportunity to ask questions about the process and take part in a mock caucus.  As a result of their careful organizing, every NARA board member, many of the chapter presidents and countless members served as precinct caucus chairs or secretaries.  “Thanks to the Nevada Alliance for such a strong, grassroots, neighbor-to-neighbor movement that brought so many of their members into the process,” said George J. Kourpias, President of the Alliance.  The record turnout of about 160,000 people was partly attributed to concerns about health care.  Recent polls found the issue to be a top priority for the people of Nevada, a state with low Medicaid reimbursement rates, a very high rate of people – 18.3% – without health insurance, and many rural areas where doctors can be harder to find.  “Credit goes to U.S. Senator Harry Reid, U.S. Congresswoman Shelley Berkley and Nevada State AFL-CIO Executive Secretary Treasurer Danny Thompson for bringing the caucuses to Nevada and showing the country that this is a state of diversity,” said Scott Watts, president of the Nevada Alliance.  “Across the state we found new friends and neighbors, and we will take this solidarity and activism with us into November.”