Presidential candidate, county delegates to be selected

Barry County Republicans will have the opportunity to make their presidential primary selection in person on March 2, when the Barry County Central Committee will host the first caucus since 2012 at Cassville High School.

Glen Cope, chair of the Committee, said the doors open at 8 a.m. and the caucus begins at 10 a.m.

“When people show up, they will have to sign an affidavit verifying they are Republican, or they can pre-register online, which will expedite the process,” he said. “After the caucus starts at 10 a.m., we will ask all voters for each candidate to divide up, and we will count the votes.”

Viable candidates remaining in the race include Donald Trump and Nikki Haley.

“if one candidate gets 50 percent, plus one vote, all of the delegates will go to that candidate,” Cope said. “Delegates are bound to the vote and will go to the 7th Congressional Caucus in Monett and the State Caucus in Springfield. We will select the delegates and alternates at the Barry County Caucus.”

Cope said if neither candidate tops 50 percent, voters in each camp will negotiate how to divide delegates, with delegates still bound to their votes.

“This all hinges on if Haley drops from the race,” he said. “That could lower the incentives to attend. But, there is a lot of excitement for this election, and if she stays on through March 2, we could have a big turnout.”

After the vote is decided, the Central Committee, comprised of one man and one woman from each township in the county, will offer a slate of delegates and alternates to caucus- goers.

‘”Delegates do not have to be present at the caucus, and we will read the selections and it should be an up or down vote of the slate,” Cope said. ‘The rules of the caucus are simple, and it’s a very transparent and fair process.”

Cope has chaired the Committee since 2020, now leading his first caucus and Missouri’s first since 2012.

“I have mixed feelings about the caucus,” he said. “I feel it could hamper people’s ability to participate because it’s a set time to have the meeting. If people are working that day, even though it’s a Saturday, that could prevent them from participating.

“However, the caucus is positive because Missouri gets to voice its choice in March instead of the August primary. It’s neat to have our voices heard nationwide earlier in the election season process.”

Cope said with only two candidates, he expects the caucus to last about 30 minutes.

“If we had five candidates still in the race, that could take 2-3 hours because of the 50 percent, plus one vote, threshold,” he said. “There would be a lot of negotiation. But, I anticipate this being an easy process this year.”

Cope encourages Republicans planning to attend to pre-register to speed the process along. People may do so at caucus. missouri.gop.