A Caucus Isn't the Same as a Primary

I read that they expect a very low turnout. Will the vote be representative of the people of Iowa? How will it reflect the views of the rest of the country?
In fact, what is the significance of the Iowa Caucus?
Bragging rights for the winners, I guess, but not much more.

just a indicator that has lost its meaning. Hoping that they can perfect a way for people to vote online, much like we do our taxes on line now. No, reason not to take our democratic lifestyle into the 21st Century

Wow, Ruth, those are some daunting conditions people have to meet to be there.

My husband and I were just discussing last night the difference between a primary and caucus. I'm still unclear.

Ruth,
I live in a small town in Iowa and will be attending the caucus tonight. Our local paper states that "doors open at 6 p.m. and the meetings begin at about 6:30 p.m. However, individuals may still participate if they are in the caucus registration line by 7 p.m."

From my little world, I'm seeing lots of people who are really fired up to attend the caucus tonight. I'm not typically very political although I vote in every presidential election and some local elections. But as far as primaries/caucuses, I attended only one in the thirty years I lived in Minnesota. Living in Iowa at campaign time is a whole different story. I've heard several candidates speak at our local library, coffee houses, etc. and political conversations are happening all around me. Many people here are very invested in this process. Cold temps and a moonless night are not enough to stop these folks. At least I don't think so. I guess we'll know more after tonight.

As far as driving to the caucus, there are lots of people around town who are offerring rides. In fact, if you lived here, I'd give you a ride myself!

Bert, I'm not sure the national vote is always representative of the views of the country. There will always be those who exercise their right to vote and those who don't. I'm hoping for the best.

Yes, Ruth there is a great deal of difference between a caucus and a primary election.
Here in CA I get an absentee ballot for the primary election of the party to which I'm registered. In a caucus the people vote by physically standing in the area assigned to the candidate of their choice and if there are too few gathered there, they have a choice to stay or move to their second choice candidate's area. I heard this description of what will take place on NPR this morning told by someone in Iowa in charge of one of the caucus locations.

The outcome of a primary caucus is merely a guideline for Democratic or Republican State Party delegates to carry to the respective National Conventions of the parties. the Iowa person did not say how binding the caucus results are for the delegates. IF it's like those who cast a state's electoral votes for President after the popular vote is know, it is only tradition that the votes are cast for whomever won the state election.

I shudder every time I think about that because those who vote are by no means a majority of those who can and should vote, and then we find that in the end, only really politically active and savy people cast the final votes and are not bound to the will of the voters at all..... what a system, huh? It's scary that the media picks the winner from these first few state caucuses and primary elections and all we like sheep vote for "the one who will win."

Perhaps we are getting what we DESERVE in the way of "leadership" for this country after all.

I have been very intrigued by the news on how they do the votes in Iowa. It's been very interesting. I had no idea. I hadn't heard this part. I saw where the candidates were trying to protect their votes when the ones voting got there. That too shocked me. I'm going to have to watch this a whole lot more. In fact, we are. It is really very interesting.

i think the whole thing is strange, i don't think it allows everyone the right to vote, if you have kids, how do you and your spouse go and vote?

CNN and MSNBC are breathlessly (and endlessly) reporting that Obama has "won Iowa" after getting less than 900 "votes" or whatever the heck you call them. What possible significance are those 900 people to my choice?
TV has turned this into a media show, nothing more or less.

Ruth I just got back from the Iowa caucus.

This is what happens. You are divided into your precints which is depending on where you live.

Then they take a count of who is voting for which candidate.

Candidates have to have at least 15% of the people of that district supporting them.

Candidates with less than 15% are disqualified.

Then the others that support the candidates with more than 15% get to tell those people why they should go with their candidate. And so on.

We had 15 in my district for Obama...12 each for Clinton and Edwards.

Does that make sense?

The caucus system works for them. I prefer voting.

Lori,

That's a total of 39 votes. That would be 38% for Obama, 31% each for Clinton and Edwards. Now, you send delegates. Are they all sent to the county for Obama since he is the winner? I'm just curious.

At our Republican precinct last night, we were told they got about 4 times the expected turn out.

I live in Iowa, too. The Caucus was well-publized and fairly organized. Most people were registered already, and everything went very smoothly, calmly and was conducted in an intelligent, orderly manner. there was a huge turn-out in our town.

One must bear in mind the purpose of a caucus. It is not to elect a candidate but to chose a candidate to represent a party. If one does not believe in the party then the caucus is not intended for you. The election itself will come after each party has chosen it candidate and all persons, including independent candidates will have completed their campaign effort.

As such, the party's caucuses do require more effort and work. They are not intended to just make a choice but to actually argue the merits of the various persons who might be contending for the nomination.

A primary is usually conducted by the state or city but a caucus is conducted by the party only.

In truth, the independent is excluded from caucuses. One must register with a party to be eligible to participate in a caucus. The primary, on the other hand, welcomes all voters and all that you are allowed to do is to go and select your choice of the candidates on the ballot or to write in a candidate.

Thank you James and all the others who explained the caucus systme. It seems a very idealistic system, but leaving out the Independents isn't fair. It seems very out of step with the times. By the time comes to choose a candidate, we have had plenty of time to consider the merits of each candidate as we learn about them from various media. I think voters should be able to vote and leave quickly as is done in normal primaries that I know of.

Ruth,

The voters don't really go there to vote. They are gathering to choose, among themselves at the meeting, just who they want to represent them. If a candidate has little support the person favoring that candidate will change to a more viable candidate. This process could not be accomplished with a simple vote.

The caucus belongs to the party, not the voters. Voters choose to go only to the caucus of one party. A primary, which I prefer, belongs to the voters. I have some understanding for a party not wanting independents choosing their candidate although that is exactly what will happen. Of course, independents can register as something they are not and "join" the party for the sake of getting their man on the ballot.

But, more than anything else, it is a selling process as opposed to a voting process!

NY has a primary here Ruth, and I intend to go an exercise my vote at that time, so far I don't see anyone much I can vote for , lol, I think you probably feel the same.

As a Norwegian I do not much understand the system with registration for voting. I got , as did both my kids since they have both turned 18 since the last election, I finished voting card sent to me through the mail. All I had to do on the day of voting was to appear, show my note and an identification and put my vote into the box. Having to find time three times sound a bit much. First to register, then to vote in primary and last the presidental vote itself and I guess you vote for congress as well as for the local government. All that must be hard to do for some due to work and kids and stuff or is it organized very wisely and everyone has the right to paid leave to do this??

Please help me understand better

Trine - We have something called 'state'e rights' here and the states make their own voting rules as long s they don't conflict with federal voting rules. There are primary elections in most states and caucuses in others before each political party's convention to choose he party's candidate. After the conventions the two canddates go around the country and advertise at great expense to get people to back them and vote for them on the First tuesday of November 2008. It has worked for us so far but there is considerable cheating going on.
I'm not very good at explaining. You might ask Bert B. He is very good at politics.