Bernie Sanders, the Vermont senator, won big at three packed Democratic caucuses held in Coronado High School on Tuesday night, fueled by self-described millennials, union leaders and fans of “the Bern,” many of whom were participating in Colorado’s complex Democratic nominating process for the first time.

With 98 percent of precincts reporting, Sanders took 59 percent of the Colorado votes compared to 40 percent for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Stephanie Alessandra, 33, said she hates public speaking but got up and made a pitch for Sanders at Precinct 106 – which had to move from a small classroom to the cafeteria in the northwest Colorado Springs high school. She ended up becoming one of three delegates awarded to Sanders from that precinct. One went to former Clinton.

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“Hillary Clinton has flip-flopped her opinion,” Alessandra said. “Sanders has been more consistent.”

Jennifer Nix, 27, said she was driven to caucus by her and her family’s struggles to access health care.

“I was disappointed with the health care act,” Nix said, referring to President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act. “It didn’t go far enough. I’m a fan of nationalized health care.”

It appeared likely Sanders would win the majority of Colorado’s delegates Tuesday night, although how many more was unclear. In a nonbinding straw poll, Sanders led by 58 percent. At precinct 103, which met on the other side of the Coronado cafeteria, the delegates were split 3-3, while at precinct 107 the split was 3-to-1.

None of that means too much, however.

Delegates to the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia won’t be elected until the state assembly and the seven congressional district assemblies. Clinton has secured the majority of Colorado’s “super delegates” – those who get a seat at the national convention because of the office they hold.

But for now, Sanders can claim victory in the state.

Republicans in Colorado, however, cannot coronate a victor. Party leaders voted to not hold a straw poll Tuesday night, so their delegates can remain unbound headed into the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.

There were plenty of rumblings about both processes.

GOP voters in Precinct 105 held their own straw poll after calling the system “antiquated.” Marco Rubio received 17 votes, John Kasich 12, Ted Cruz 6, Donald Trump 4 and Ben Carson 2.

The precinct elected eight delegates to the GOP county convention and three to the state convention, including three members of the Watson family.

“The common theme here tonight is we do like Marco Rubio,” said Justin Watson, as he nominated himself, his mother, father and sister as delegates (his sister became an alternate). “I don’t want to vote for Trump.”

That was not the common theme across the nation, however.

Trump won seven states on Super Tuesday.

Residents of three precincts who gathered at North Middle School, on East Yampa Street, were almost neatly divided Tuesday night into the anti-Trump group and pro-Trump group.

While state Sen. Owen Hill, R-Colorado Springs, led one precinct with legislative-like order from the room’s single podium, the other groups had three or four neighbors counting votes as residents strained to hear in the din of the middle school auditorium.

The residents of Precinct 107 all agreed on one thing: “Anybody but Trump.”

When Robert Alirez stood up from his seat at a lunch table and shared that thought, 23 heads around him nodded in agreement.

Nonetheless, the group of staunch Republican voters was prepared to vote for Trump to keep Clinton out of office.

“I have to vote for a Republican,” said Al Loma, a resident in the precinct who offered to serve as the group’s delegate to the general assembly this spring.

“That’s right,” echoed Jerry Kelley. “Hillary belongs in jail.”

Kelley called Trump a chameleon and added that Trump’s values weren’t fundamentally conservative enough for him.

But some of Kelley’s neighbors across the room didn’t hesitate to put forth Trump as their champion.

“I am a Trump supporter,” Chesley Miller told her precinct members.

Trump’s policies on immigration – namely building a wall on the Mexico-U.S. border – are what convinced Miller.

“Immigration. I believe that’s the one issue in our country today,” she said.

Her comments stirred a round of applause from the group, although it appointed a delegate who was not a clear Trump supporter, Miller said.

But the small showing of support her comments received Tuesday night helped Miller’s conviction that she is part of a growing majority.

While the presidential candidates were foremost on the minds of the neighbors gathered at North Middle School, many were undecided when it came to candidates for El Paso County commissioner and the U.S. Senate seat.

Both races have a slew of candidates – the commissioner race boasts 16 – and many residents said they hadn’t thought about who they would support. The Senate race has more than a dozen Republican candidates, including two El Paso County commissioners, to challenge Democratic incumbent Sen. Michael Bennet.

Justin Watson said he’d heard a few of the U.S. Senate hopefuls speak, but he and his family couldn’t remember the names of any of the candidates.

“It’s too early,” Watson said.

None of the candidates have held federal office.

Nevertheless, local businessman Robert Blaha stopped by the middle school Tuesday night to introduce himself to some residents.

Blaha said he spoke to about 45 people, many of whom remained undecided in the Senate race. Although Blaha will be petitioning to get on the ballot and was not participating in the caucus, a few people offered their support Tuesday night.

But most, like Robert Alirez, said they didn’t know enough to decide.

“Because I haven’t had enough time to study them, and half of them are commissioners,” he said.

The next step in the process for the delegates elected Tuesday night are the county assemblies.

Republicans will meet March 26, and Democrats will meet March 12.

At those assemblies, candidates will try to make the ballot for a number of seats in the state House of Representatives, the state Senate, county commission and other seats. Candidates who don’t go through the assembly process can petition onto the ballot.

Participants from precinct 102 take a straw poll for Bernie Sanders during the Democratic caucus at Coronado High School on Tuesday, March 1, 2016. Photo by Stacie Scott, The Gazette.

STACIE SCOTT

Maria Battista from precinct 102 speaks in support of Hillary Clinton during the Democratic caucus at Coronado High School on Tuesday, March 1, 2016. Photo by Stacie Scott, The Gazette.

STACIE SCOTT

Joseph Liberti from precinct 102 speaks in support of Bernie Sanders during the Democratic caucus at Coronado High School on Tuesday, March 1, 2016. Photo by Stacie Scott, The Gazette.

STACIE SCOTT