DENVER – Colorado Republican Chairman Dick Wadhams announced today that party leaders have formally voted to move the 2008 Republican Precinct Caucuses from March 18 to Tuesday, February 5.

"February 5 will be the most decisive day of the Republican presidential nomination process and Colorado Republicans will now have a role in what has been called 'Tsunami Tuesday,'" Wadhams said. "This is also an opportunity to revive public interest in Colorado's traditional caucus-convention process."

The Colorado General Assembly passed and the Governor signed a bill late in the 2007 session granting Colorado's political parties the ability to move their precinct caucuses from Tuesday, March 18 to Tuesday, February 5 with a vote of their state central committees.

Members of the Colorado Republican State Central Committee were sent ballots the first of August and final results were tabulated yesterday. The committee voted 71 percent to 29 percent to change the precinct caucus date to Tuesday, February 5.

"I deeply appreciate the thoughtful consideration Republican leaders across Colorado gave to this important decision," Wadhams said. "I also want to thank the Colorado General Assembly and Governor Ritter for giving the political parties the ability to make this decision."

"This move should increase campaign activity in Colorado by all the Republican presidential candidates," Wadhams said. "We will set up an efficient reporting process in all 64 counties so that we can report Colorado Republican results to local, state and national news media on a timely basis that evening."

February 5, 2008 is the first date states other than Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and for the Democrats, Nevada, are allowed by the national political parties to hold caucuses or primaries as part of their presidential nominating processes. Both national parties will impose penalties on states that violate the February 5 requirement.

Nearly two dozen states have either formally moved their caucuses or primaries to February 5 or are strongly considering doing so resulting in it being called "Tsunami Tuesday."

"While I think the special status conferred upon a handful of states by both parties is ill-advised, that is a debate to be held after the 2008 presidential election is completed," Wadhams said. "What I do know is that the only real impact Colorado Republicans could have in selecting our nominee for President is to move our precinct caucuses to February 5 and hold a presidential preference poll."

The Colorado Republican Presidential Preference Poll will be non-binding on Colorado's 46 delegates to the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis in September 2008.

"As a strong supporter of our caucus process, I believe this move will revive interest in Colorado Republicans attending their local precinct caucus," Wadhams said. "The ability to actually cast a vote for their favorite candidate on the most important and decisive day of the Republican presidential nomination process I think will dramatically increase participation across Colorado."