Please explain Iowa Caucus Process

[goldielocks]

Can someone please explain the process that is followed in the Iowa Caucus?

For example, is there going to be any indication of how it is going before the caucuses meet at 7PM? Or will we have to wait until the votes are counted (someone said 10pm EST?) to know what happened? Are there exit polls?

If this has already been explained, can someone kindly point me to that thread?

thanks

 

[PledgeForPaul]

each precinct calls the straw poll results in which will be reported in real time. I'd guess the first results will arrive around 7:30

 

[RPDelegate]

Can someone please explain the process that is followed in the Iowa Caucus?

For example, is there going to be any indication of how it is going before the caucuses meet at 7PM? Or will we have to wait until the votes are counted (someone said 10pm EST?) to know what happened? Are there exit polls?

If this has already been explained, can someone kindly point me to that thread?

thanks

That's part of the problem on this forum. It is swamped with so many pointless BS threads, that the important ones fade away within minutes and are hard to find. The process has been explained about 20 times just today alone. Yet no mods want to sticky the information so it's easy for all to find. And the sad thing is, it's the most important information that could possibly be posted in this Iowa sub-forum.

People are more concerned about watching videos and complaining about what the media is saying than actually knowing what to do to ensure RP becomes our next president. This scares me more than the other candidates ever could.

 

[Quick]

Best explanation is from here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iowa_caucus

For the Republicans, the Iowa caucus follows (and should not be confused with) the Ames Straw Poll in August of the preceding year. Out of the five Ames Straw Poll iterations, 1987 is the only year in which the winner of the Ames Straw Poll has not gone on to win the Iowa caucus.

In the Republican caucuses, each voter casts his or her vote by secret ballot. Voters are presented blank sheets of paper with no candidate names on them. After listening to some campaigning for each candidate by caucus participants, they write their choices down and the Republican Party of Iowa tabulates the results at each precinct and transmits them to the media.[3] The non-binding results are tabulated and reported to the state party which releases the results to the media. Delegates from the precinct caucuses go on to the County Convention, which chooses delegates to the District Convention, which in turn selects delegates to the State Convention. Thus it is the Republican State Convention, not the precinct caucuses, which select the ultimate delegates to the Republican National Convention in Iowa.

 

[driller80545]

Why do they do all that crap? Why don't they just vote?

 

[passerby]

Very detailed explanation for the process by a true veteran:
http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=72698

A summary here (by me, a novice):
http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=72698&page=4

 

[SovereignMN]

6:30pm-7:00pm. People arrive at caucus, sign in, drink coffee and may get asked by media who they are supporting. These will be "entrance polls"

7:00pm. Caucus begins. If you are late you are probably screwed. Each candidate will be allowed to have 1 supporter deliver a speech in their favor. After all speeches, a non-binding "Presidential Preference" straw poll will take place. Each candidate is allowed 1 supporter to witness the ballot counting. This is the number that gets reported to the media and used by the pundits to judge candidates strengths. You can expect to start seeing results between 7:30 and 10:00pm.

7:30pm (approx) Delegates to the county convention in March will be voted on by the caucus participants.

 

[SovereignMN]

Why do they do all that crap? Why don't they just vote?

This is republicanism (small 'r') at work.

 

[goldielocks]

very helpful...thanks everyone!

I also found this CNN explanation:

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/01/03/iowa.caucuses.101/index.html

 

[Liberty Star]

Good info.

Hopefully no one from Iowa is on here today lol

 

[Greg in VA]

http://www.gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071119/IOWACAUCUS/71119009

What is a caucus?
By James Q. Lynch

The Gazette
[email protected]


Although caucus comes from the Algonquin word for a gathering of tribal chiefs, Iowa precinct caucuses are meetings where members of political parties gather to make policy decisions, elect leaders and select candidates.