Iowa caucuses: Small in terms of delegate count, it's a ritual that exerts enormous influence

Much has been said about the upcoming Iowa caucuses and their impact on the race for president.

But how many people outside of Iowa really know how the caucuses work?

Unlike a straight vote, the caucuses are groups of people who come together at the precinct level to debate the merits of the candidates and then decide how to cast their ballots.

Rather than going to polls and casting votes, Iowans gather at a set location in each of the state's 1,682 precincts. From the caucuses, ballots are cast at the county conventions. There are 99 counties in Iowa, and therefore there are 99 county conventions. These county conventions then select delegates for both Iowa's congressional district convention and the state convention, which eventually choose the delegates for the presidential nominating conventions.

The caucuses are important because they are the first bellwether of how the presidential elections might go. Although only about 1 percent of the nation's delegates are chosen by the Iowa state convention, its timing makes it important as momentum builder for candidates. This year's caucus takes place on Feb. 1. Who will do well and who won't? Polls indicate a tight finish in both the Democratic and Republican races.

Published in Editorials on January 25, 2016 11:30 AM