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How the Iowa Caucuses Work, A 6 part series

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Catchawave Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Nov-19-07 08:08 PM
Original message
How the Iowa Caucuses Work, A 6 part series
Below is the diary with part 6, parts 1-5 are linked in the text. I hope you find it as interesting as I did :hi:

How the Iowa caucuses work, part 6 (w/poll)

by desmoinesdem
Mon Nov 19, 2007 at 08:42:32 AM EST

Field organizers for the presidential campaigns in Iowa have many jobs, and one of the most important is lining up precinct captains. Mike Lux laid out why Precinct Captains are the Key at Open Left this summer, emphasizing what these volunteers can do for their candidates on caucus night.

In this diary I will focus on how precinct captains can help their candidates during the weeks and months before the Iowa caucuses.

I covered some of this ground in a recent diary on my house party for John Edwards. I think it's worth going over a few points again for readers who don't click on diaries with "John Edwards" in the title.

Political junkies and hacks, join me after the jump.

desmoinesdem's diary :: ::
In case you missed the earlier installments in the series:

How the Iowa caucuses work, part 1 (basic elements of the caucus system)
How the Iowa caucuses work, part 2 (corrects an error in part 1 and discusses who is over-represented and who is under-represented when delegates are counted)
How the Iowa caucuses work, part 3 (why it's hard to turn out caucus-goers)
How the Iowa caucuses work, part 4 (more about why caucus turnout is low)
How the Iowa caucuses work, part 5 (on second choices and caucus math)

Now, back to the topic of the day: why field organizers for presidential candidates work hard to recruit precinct captains.

Some precinct captains are too busy to do anything besides help on caucus night. They can still lend important assistance, for the reasons Mike Lux wrote about. But it's much better to have a precinct captain with the time and commitment to work his or her neighborhood before caucus night. They can take on the following tasks:

Cont'd at http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/11/19/84232/068
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Nutmegger Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Nov-19-07 08:09 PM
Response to Original message
1. This is great!
I'm still a little fuzzy, and was going to do some checking. It's just sheer coincidence that this thread popped up.

Thanks Catchawave! Edwards 2008! :bounce:
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Catchawave Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Nov-19-07 08:35 PM
Response to Reply #1
4. You're welcome !
:hi:
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Debi Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-20-07 02:25 PM
Response to Reply #1
11. Here is a link to the Iowa Democratic Party's caucus site
www.iowafirstcaucus.org
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Catchawave Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-20-07 04:15 PM
Response to Reply #11
16. Thanks !
More great information !
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cojoel Donating Member (125 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Nov-19-07 08:17 PM
Response to Original message
2. obsolete process
The entire process seems like a throwback to a by-gone era. Voting in a primary takes minutes; participating in a caucus takes a lot of time, rendering it a non-viable option for many people (like me).
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Catchawave Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Nov-19-07 08:33 PM
Response to Reply #2
3. in the middle of winter too !
We can hardly get enough voters out for an easy primary vote in Virginia. We're late on the schedule (Feb 12? I should know!?). But if it rains, or horrors, we have snow flurries, we'll probably get about 1% turnout..sigh.
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Debi Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-20-07 02:28 PM
Response to Reply #2
12. Caucuses are more than an avenue to determine the presidential preference
they are first and foremost a party building process. The presidential part is only a small part of the evening. We vote for central committee members, county convention delegates, platform committee members and we canvass folks to see if we can get people to run for office. On top of all that it is community building as we caucus in our precincts with our Democratic neighbors.

Not obsolete at all in this automated (and ignore everything around you) world.
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edgery Donating Member (16 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-20-07 07:12 PM
Response to Reply #2
18. Interesting that you would consider one evening
too much time to spend on selecting the next president of the United States. Maybe I missed something but don't most of us spend that much time in front of our computers just talking about doing that?

I understand that some people may have health issues or maybe disabilities. Other than that, what would keep you away? (and I don't mean this to be a criticism. I'd just never heard someone say it was too time-consuming before.)
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Catchawave Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-20-07 11:01 AM
Response to Original message
5. Kick for understanding the process.
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DURHAM D Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-20-07 12:13 PM
Response to Original message
6. Have you watched the video on Hillary's website?
At HillaryClinton.com if you click on videos - the second one down is "Caucusing Is Easy".

Even if you are not a Hillary fan I recommend it - it makes it easy to understand the process. It is not as detailed as your link but it is a place to start.
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Catchawave Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-20-07 03:46 PM
Response to Reply #6
14. Can you post the link ? It would help in this nonpartisan DU education
effort :D

It also sounds like a good video to put on the Political Video forum? Thanks :hi:
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asdjrocky Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-20-07 12:15 PM
Response to Original message
7. Wonderful,
We can always count on you for good info Wave.

k&r
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skipos Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-20-07 12:34 PM
Response to Original message
8. Very interesting. Does the poster make any predictions for the IA 08 results? nt
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Basileus Basileon Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-20-07 12:37 PM
Response to Original message
9. These are extraordinarily informative. I didn't know how much I didn't know.
Thank you.
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Catchawave Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-20-07 03:42 PM
Response to Reply #9
13. Thanks for reading through it, I know the diarist put a lot of work
into the series, I know she'd appreciate knowing it was informative :hi:
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Debi Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-20-07 02:23 PM
Response to Original message
10. one point of clarification
desmoinesdem doesn't like the caucus process. So the diary is somewhat negative toward it all.
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Catchawave Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-20-07 04:09 PM
Response to Reply #10
15. I thought it was a nice primer for those here on DU
who ask the question "Why is Iowa First?". :hi:
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Debi Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-20-07 06:08 PM
Response to Reply #15
17. I agree, I'm glad they went to the trouble to put it all together
I just wanted to point out that it is not coming from a neutral POV but from one who would rather be done with caucuses - which is why I provided the Democratic Party's line (okay, that is from a rah-rah POV which is one I like a little more ;))
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