43% of Trump followers HAVE NEVER VOTED IN A CAUCUS BEFORE...will they come out for them?
Is it a complicated process to vote?
Is it a complicated process to vote...Good question.
Confession—I was an interloper at the rally~I traveled 3 hours from my home in Illinois ;). So I am not an Iowa voter tho my ties to Iowa run deep with various family...son graduated from Iowa State, my daughter-in-law’s family has farm in IA, my parents were from IA and went to Iowa State.
Iowa Freepers can correct me if they wish, but this is my take from talking to people and some additional information from Iowa Farm Bureau**.
**Who can participate?
To participate in an Iowa Republican or Iowa Democratic caucus, an individual must be registered to vote and be a registered member of the party’s caucus they are attending. The individual must also be 18 years old by the date of the next general election, which in this case is Tuesday, November 8, 2016. That means it is possible for 17 year-olds to participate at their local caucus as long as they will be 18 years old by November 8, 2016. He or she must also reside in the precinct that they are caucusing in. “No Party†registrants, or people who are not registered with either the Democratic or Republican Parties, will have to change their registration to one party or the other in order to caucus.
From my conversations at the rally:
It is not a vote in the traditional sense—no paper and pencils...
The caucus is a meeting of eligible voters/caucusers at their local precinct’s appointed location. It seems caucusers in a given precinct will meet in a large room, and there are various locations for each candidate within the room ex. caucusers for Trump, are instructed to go to right corner, caucusers for Cruz, go to left corner, etc. The people physically move to the area where their preferred candidate’s group is located. People can and do move between candidate areas. After all folks have found their final location, a count is made, and the numbers are turned in to the state organization.
But why does it take several hours...and can you be late?