The Washoe County Republican Party can’t ban the general public or media from Thursday’s caucus sites at 16 public schools, according to school district policy.
Washoe County School District policy states that using public schools is subject to specific conditions, including “the use is not for closed (as distinguished from open) political meetings.”
Bruce Parks, chairman of the Washoe County Republican Party, confirmed to the Reno Gazette Journal, after it had been reported by multiple media outlets, that only registered Republicans would be allowed inside to observe the caucus this year.
Parks also said only journalists chosen by the Washoe Republican Party could observe at Spanish Springs Elementary School and not any of the other 15 caucus sites, all district public schools.
“We don’t have to let anyone in,” Parks told the RGJ when he was asked about the school district’s policy Wednesday morning. “We can exclude anyone. I confirmed this with the district. We can’t have people in there protesting and causing a scene.”