Lyon Dems, GOP planning county conventions

Silver Springs has been selected as the location for the Lyon County Democratic Convention.

The convention will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday, with registration at 8 a.m., at the Silver State High School gym on Spruce Street.

Lyon County Democratic spokesman Carissa Snedeker said she expects a record turnout after the record turnout for the presidential caucus on Jan. 19.

The Lyon County Democrats will field 159 delegates as well as alternates. Guests are also welcome at the convention.

More than 2,200 Democrats participated in Lyon County Democratic caucuses, or about 33 percent of Lyon's registered Democratic voters.

The convention floor pass will cost $10 and lunch will be offered for another $10. No delegate will be denied participation because of an inability to pay for the floor pass, said Lyon County Democratic Chairman Charlie Lawson.

"It's been an exciting time for Democrats in Nevada," he said. "We've gotten a lot of national attention, and I think we really did ourselves proud on January 19."

The Lyon County Republicans will hold their convention March 1 at Yerington High School, but Lyon GOP Chairman Howard Hirsch said they haven't settled on a time. "I'm thinking about 9 a.m., 9:30 a.m., something like that," he said.

Hirsch expects about 300 people to attend, with 215 elected delegates and 130 alternates that will adopt a platform, elect delegates to the state convention in Reno April 26.

Hirsch said he didn't know if delegates committed to Mitt Romney, who won the Nevada GOP caucus, would back Sen. John McCain, whom Romney has endorsed.

"The only thing I'm concerned about is there is a lot of grumbling about McCain, and I don't know how the Romney people will react to that," he said. "I hope he (McCain) can make his case before the party. Considering who we're running against, when people have to make the choice, people will unite behind him."

• Contact reporter Karen Woodmansee at kwoodmansee@nevadaappeal.com or 882-2111 ext. 351.

If You Go

WHAT: Lyon County Democratic Convention

WHEN: 8 a.m. Saturday

WHERE: Silver Stage HIgh School, 3755 West Spruce St., Silver Springs

CALL: 575-1133 or 530-8938

WEB SITE:

www.lyoncountydems.org

WHAT: Lyon County Republican Convention

WHEN: March 1

WHERE: Yerington High School, 114 Pearl St.,

Yerington

CALL: 246-3106

WEB SITE:

lyoncountyrepublicans.com