This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Philadelphia • Fed up with what they say is a rigged system that ignores them, a group of Utahns joined hundreds of Bernie Sanders supporters in walking out of the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday shortly after Hillary Clinton officially clinched the presidential nomination to become the first woman to lead a major-party ticket in this country.
The celebratory glass-ceiling-breaking moment was temporarily sidelined as the disaffected delegates left the Wells Fargo Center and stormed the adjacent tents set up for news media, where demonstrators held a sit-in and police officers rushed to gain control of the once-quiet workspace.
Some protesters locked arms, and others covered their mouths with masking tape as the cameras began rolling.
"We feel very much that our voices have been silenced," said Julianne Waters, a Sanders delegate who had joined half the Utah delegation in walking out of the convention. "They had a queen to coronate, and we got in the way."
Sanders, just minutes before, asked that the roll-call voting of states — which was nearly finished — be suspended, and he moved to nominate Clinton as the party's nomination by acclamation. The voice vote was clear, and as the cheering began for the future nominee, so did the protest.
While not blaming Sanders himself, several Utahns who walked out of the convention said the Democratic Party had left them behind.
"I'm doing this because I'm really sick of our voice not being heard," said Sarah Scott, of Salt Lake City, a Bernie delegate. "It's not just millennials anymore; yes, I'm young, but I've also lived through a lot. But you look at the diverse group here: It's not just white people, it's black people, it's Latinos, it's young people, it's everyone. This is what democracy is, this is what our country is and we need our voices to be heard."
She said the news media ignored the Sanders movement and that the protest in the media tents was one way to garner interest.
Louise Edington, another Sanders delegate, said she had devoted 14 months of time and money supporting her candidate and was disgusted by how the Democratic Party treated his backers. She dismissed worries that the narrative out of the convention would be about Democratic chaos, helping Republican nominee Donald Trump.
"We believe it's the DNC that has caused the Trump presidency by its corruption," she said.
Deb Henry, who wore a Utah for Bernie button, said there was a coalition of Sanders supporters from every state, the District of Columbia and territories that decided to walk out. It demonstrated, she said, that the movement Sanders started would continue.
"Part of this is [showing] we're in for the long haul," Henry said.
Utah's delegation is overwhelmingly in the Sanders camp, and that was apparent during the roll call. Utah Democratic Party Chairman Peter Corroon took the microphone and offered most of the state's delegates to Sanders, representing the overwhelming victory — nearly 80 percent — of the vote the Vermont senator won in the March caucuses.
"The industrious and beautiful Beehive State — adventure's first stop as home to five national parks, the greatest snow on earth and the No. 1 state for volunteerism — casts 29 votes for Sen. Bernie Sanders and eight votes for Secretary Hillary Clinton," Corroon said.
A Sanders superdelegate, Corroon explained the walkout and protest by saying the Sanders die-hards were understandably disappointed.
"They needed to let that frustration out," he said. "I hope that is now behind them and we can move forward."