In just a few days, hundreds of thousands of Iowa Democrats will head to nearly 1700 precinct caucus meetings across Iowa. Meeting in High School Gymnasiums, Libraries, Fire Stations, and so on, Iowans will come together to make their choice for the Democratic Presidential nomination. Whether you’re a first-time caucusgoer, a hardened caucus veteran, or somewhere in between, the Iowa Democratic Party wants you to have all the information you need before Caucus night.
The most reliable source of information for any caucus question is the Iowa Democratic Party’s website, thecaucuses.org. This website is a one-stop-shop for all Caucus questions, including a full list of precinct locations, satellite caucuses, and guidance for press related inquiries. Lastly, if you’re an Iowan with a disability, you can use this website to request an accommodation at your precinct between now and January 27.
Every registered Iowa Democrat can participate in the caucus. Iowans can register at their precinct Caucus. Caucusgoers must be at least 18 years old by November 3, 2020. Precinct Caucus locations will open no later than 6:30 pm CST. Caucusgoers must be in line by 7 pm CST to enter the Caucus meeting. Caucusgoers who arrive after 7:00 pm CST will not be allowed to Caucus.
Press and Observers are allowed to observe a Caucus as long as they do not interfere with the business of the caucus. Members of the media should bring their outlet credentials.
As you may notice on our website, there are some changes to the Caucus this year. The Iowa Democratic Party is committed to making this year’s Caucus process the most accessible and transparent to date. In honoring that commitment, for the first time, the Iowa Democratic Party is offering Satellite Caucus locations, not only across Iowa but across the globe, along with Early Check-In for Caucus locations in Iowa.
Satellite Caucus Locations will allow Iowans in-state to caucus earlier in the day, at their places of work, or at a site more accessible than their regular precinct. For Iowans out-of-state, whether they’ve headed South for winter, or are studying abroad, they will still be able to participate in the Caucus process by attending one of our 92 satellite caucus locations around the world. To view a complete list of all satellite caucuses, click here.
Similarly, Early Check-In will allow for an even more accessible Caucus process. This change allows Iowans to check-in ahead of time for their specific precinct, skip the general registration line, and thereby allow for a more convenient experience for all involved.
In addition to these practical additions to this year’s Caucus, the Iowa Democratic Party is changing the way we will report precinct-level results. In an effort to be as transparent as possible, this year’s caucus will include results from the first alignment in every precinct. This means that if you initially caucus for a candidate who is not viable, your support will be recorded before any realignment of support takes place, although it will not count toward any final measure of a candidate’s state or national delegate count.
To learn more about all changes to the 2020 Caucuses, help finding your precinct, tips on observing a Caucus, or finding the answer to any other Caucus related question, feel free to read more at thecaucuses.org.
BLOG CONTRIBUTED BY THE IOWA DEMOCRATIC PARTY
