{"id":10211,"date":"2020-01-31T12:30:30","date_gmt":"2020-01-31T17:30:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/%year%\/%monthnum%\/%day%\/what-to-know-about-the-iowa-caucuses\/"},"modified":"2024-04-14T01:17:11","modified_gmt":"2024-04-14T06:17:11","slug":"what-to-know-about-the-iowa-caucuses","status":"publish","type":"short-read","link":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/2020\/01\/31\/what-to-know-about-the-iowa-caucuses\/","title":{"rendered":"What to know about the Iowa caucuses"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Majority<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Workers
Workers take down the state flag after an Iowa campaign stop by presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg. (Spencer Platt\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/figure>\n\n

After months of campaigning, debating, polling, fundraising and eating fried food<\/a>, Democratic presidential candidates face their first real-world test on Feb. 3, when Iowa voters have their say in the state\u2019s caucuses. Here’s a rundown of important things to know about Iowa and its first-in-the-nation vote.<\/p>\n\n

What is\u00a0a caucus, and how is it different from a primary?<\/h4>\n\n

While primaries are run much like general elections \u2013 lots of polling places, a secret ballot, many hours to vote \u2013 Iowa\u2019s caucuses are more like neighborhood meetings. Starting at 7 p.m. in each of the state\u2019s 1,678 voting precincts (and, new this year, 99 satellite locations in Iowa, around the country and overseas), Democratic voters will gather, debate issues and candidates with each other, and eventually cluster in \u201cpreference groups\u201d to elect delegates to their county conventions. The precinct caucuses kick off a process which, several months from now, will result in 41 delegates being chosen to represent Iowa at the Democratic National Convention. The whole caucus process, which can take more than an hour, is nicely illustrated here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

Iowa\u2019s Democratic caucuses are open only to registered party members, not unaffiliated voters or those registered as Republicans or with other parties. However, people can register or change their party affiliation<\/a> on caucus night if they want to participate.<\/p>\n\n

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How we did this<\/div>