“All Quiet on the Democratic Front” would have been an appropriate title for Tuesday night in El Paso County. Thanks to the incumbent Democratic president and a little-known congressional candidate, the county party’s caucuses were decidedly dull.

“All we’re doing is listening to the Republicans,” laughed Bob Neminich, the chairman of precinct 172. His caucus drew 54 Democrats in 2008. This year, he got nine.

In precinct 173, one caucus-goer didn’t even know if the party had a candidate running for Congress against incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn. (There is — Robert Evans.)

At Taylor Elementary School, which held five precinct caucuses, only about 50 people showed up to take part. Those who turned out were truly the party faithful.

“In such a Republican town, we need to have the other side heard,” said Janet Carlisle, a retired public school principal.

Former state Rep. Michael Merrifield, a long-time Democratic activist, said Tuesday night was his first time participating in a caucus instead of campaigning at one. He said the miniscule turnout was actually pretty good, given that there’s almost nothing to excite the party base.

“I’m kind of surprised we have this many people,” he said, looking around the school cafeteria, which housed two precincts and about 15 people.

A pair of Colorado College sophomores volunteering for the Obama campaign stopped at each of the precincts to recruit volunteers for phone banks and neighborhood canvassing. Both said that during their time on the phones, they found two types of Democrats — those who love Obama and those who hate Republicans.

“Even people who aren’t excited about Obama, they’re really angry with a lot of Republican candidates,” said Brooke Larsen, one of the students. “It’s a really big mix of both.”

Almost everyone at the five caucuses supported the president, but at least one attendee dissented — she wants Texas Congressman Ron Paul, a Republican, to win. She called him “pretty radical” in his views, but said the biggest reason she supports him is his strict anti-war stance and how he wants to pull out of Afghanistan.

Party members also passed several resolutions that will now be presented at the county assembly on March 24. Several precincts, including Merrifield’s, voted to support legalizing marijuana and changing the federal law that defines corporations as people.

Neminich’s precinct also passed resolutions supporting single-payer health care, calling for Memorial Health System to be incorporated into the University of Colorado and opposing a pre-emptive military strike against Iran.

—Contact John Schroyer: 476-4825Twitter @JohnschroyerFacebook Gazette John Schroyer

This undated copy of a photo provided by the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office shows twin sisters Patricia and Joan Miller. It us unknown which sister is which. Authorities are asking for help finding the next of kin for the two 73-year-old twin sisters found dead together in their South Lake Tahoe, Calif., home. El Dorado County Sheriff’s officials say they’ve ruled out foul play in the deaths the women, who appear to have died within a short time frame and were found Feb. 26, 2012. Photo by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

AP