Carol Clark has been a precinct leader for two years, and by now she’s well-versed in explaining to El Paso County voters how their voice matters when it comes to elections.

As about 14 people trickled into the county Republican Party caucus at Rocky Mountain Classical Academy on the eastern edge of Colorado Springs, which held three precincts, Clark helped those in her precinct sign in and get comfortable before Thursday night’s start at 7.

“Caucus has a bearing on who is on the ballot. It puts the process in the hands of everyday people who want to have involvement in who represents them,” she said.

Both the Republican and Democratic party caucuses, held this week, allow residents to debate political ideas and candidates at a neighborhood level. They elect representatives to the assemblies and conventions at the county, district and state levels, gather names of potential election judges, and can also discuss proposed resolutions that could become part of each party’s platform.

The number of people who show up in each precinct varies greatly.

El Paso County Democrats will hold their caucuses online Saturday.

Candidates who make the ballot through either the assembly process or a separate petition process, which tends to be more expensive, compete for votes in the primary election in late June.

This November, El Paso County voters will pick three county commissioners, state Senate and House representatives, the 4th Judicial District attorney and a U.S representative to replace Rep. Doug Lamborn, among other seats.

With the local caucuses held on the heels of Super Tuesday, the question of who will be the two major parties’ presidential candidates was already resolved, as Republican former President Donald Trump and Democratic President Joe Biden solidified their respective parties’ nominations.

For El Paso County Republicans, the importance of this year’s event was to help elect candidates at all levels who would support Trump if he were to win a second, non-consecutive term as the nation’s president this fall.

“It matters for Trump to have a Congress he can work with,” Clark said. “… Trump found out the first time around that you can do a lot, but you can’t do everything alone. You have to have a strong base.”

Dave Williams, Colorado’s Republican Party chairman, a former state lawmaker and a candidate this year to succeed longtime Lamborn in the 5th Congressional District, spoke with residents in all three precincts at the charter school Thursday night before heading to caucuses held at Vista Ridge and Rampart high schools.

He promised voters that if elected he would be part of that “strong base” supporting Trump, resolving to back the Second Amendment and be tough on immigration and abortion policies.

The party chairman drew criticism from other Republicans in recent days after the state GOP this week mailed a brochure to El Paso County including attacks on one of Williams’ congressional opponents in this year’s Republican primary

But he was well-received by voters Thursday night, many of whom echoed Clark’s comments about how important it is for voters to be involved in the political process at the hyperlocal level.

“The local level is more important, honestly. We’re the ones who pick the people who represent us,” resident Tracy Kime said. Born and raised in Colorado Springs, Kime has been involved in politics since before she could even vote, waving candidate signs when she was as young as 7 years old. “This is the most important right we have. This is the most important thing we do.”