I showed up today at the Columbia Branch of the Seattle Public Library at noon to cover the Republican Party’s caucus in the 37th Legislative District. I talked with a few people as they went in. I was soon approached by Ross Marzolf, the district chair.

I greeted him and identified myself as a member of the press — showing him my SeattlePoliticore badge. He promptly asked me to leave. When I informed him that I was staying he told me that he would go get the Sheriff’s Deputy to escort me off the site.

I then spoke to a librarian who called the Seattle Central Library to double check the rules. We were informed that the Republicans were not renting the room and had no right to close it to anyone. So we went inside.

After reviewing the library policy with a King County Sheriff’s Deputy, my fellow reporter Laura and I were allowed in but warned not to speak to anyone as that would be a disruption of the caucus system in Marzolf’s opinon.

Marzolf was very upset as we entered. He went so far as to close us out, stand on a chair and tell the approximately 80 people in the room that the press was coming in and I can only guess that he told them not to talk to us.

About 100 people gathered in the small meeting room in the basement of the Columbia Branch. According to Marzolf there are 140 precincts which could attend with perhaps 1 to 3 people from each precinct.

Starting with the Pledge of Allegiance the group waited until 1:30 exactly, according to the Sheriff, to begin voting.

The rules for the caucus were explained and questions from the crowd taken. One of the biggest questions was how do you break a tie between a 2-person precinct when each supports a different candidate. “Be creative,” said Marzolf after suggesting a group play Rock-Paper-Scissors.

After the bulk of the questions and answers Marzolf came back and apologized to Laura and I for being harsh.

The caucus is basically over now as people file in and out. No real scandal, no big fights or any of the crazy electioneering we saw in Idaho. The big news here today is over 100 people filing into the small meeting room where, in most cases, they elected themselves as delegates to the county and district conventions.