2016 Postmortem

HereSince1628

(36,063 posts)

32. Do the IA caucuses actually have lower turnout rates?

Sun Oct 25, 2015, 08:56 AM

Oct 2015

Somehow I have a memory of IA republican caucuses getting 25% participation and dem caucuses getting ~30% participation among declared voters.

In WI our primary participation as a percent of eligible citizens has been in the 'teens' and we have open primaries.

I realize the differences between here and there muddy the comparison somewhat, but just as an impression, my impression has been that participation rates in IA are ok compared to neighboring states.

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Can we get rid of caucuses? [View all] BlueCheese Oct 2015 OP

Good luck telling Iowa that. elleng Oct 2015 #1

They can still go first, if they insist. BlueCheese Oct 2015 #3

NH would fight like bloody murder to maintain the FIRST PRIMARY! elleng Oct 2015 #5

Okay, here's a compromise. BlueCheese Oct 2015 #6

I won't disagree with you on the merits, elleng Oct 2015 #8

I know. BlueCheese Oct 2015 #11

North Carolina has the lowest union membership rate in the country and dropping Fumesucker Oct 2015 #23

I and Hillary would agree with you yeoman6987 Oct 2015 #2

Maybe. It's true Obama did a lot better in caucuses, but he won his fair share of primaries too. BlueCheese Oct 2015 #4

I felt very traumatized by my first caucus. I felt bullied. Between the corruption of the two liberal_at_heart Oct 2015 #7

Yes, it'd be like the worst of Internet message boards, but in real life, with your neighbors! BlueCheese Oct 2015 #9

You said it. Caucuses do feel like internet message boards only in person. liberal_at_heart Oct 2015 #12

I imagine that anyone who's shy or an introvert would sufrommich Oct 2015 #27

I love caucuses. SheilaT Oct 2015 #10

That does sound like fun. BlueCheese Oct 2015 #13

Maybe there should be a series of caucuses over a twenty-four hour period. SheilaT Oct 2015 #15

I know another person who watched the kids in 2008 while her husband went to the caucus. BlueCheese Oct 2015 #16

Do the IA caucuses actually have lower turnout rates? HereSince1628 Oct 2015 #32

That's probably a function of when they vote. BlueCheese Oct 2015 #38

And I hope you get to be a delegate someday. :) BlueCheese Oct 2015 #14

I'm glad you have had more positive caucus experiences than I have had. liberal_at_heart Oct 2015 #18

I'd be willing to bet that the people who work the night shift can't sufrommich Oct 2015 #28

People who work the night shift, SheilaT Oct 2015 #30

I worked afternoons for 10 years. It's a whole different life than sufrommich Oct 2015 #34

Yep. Especially if you always work holidays SheilaT Oct 2015 #35

I hear ya! nt sufrommich Oct 2015 #36

okay what the hell is this shit? I wanted to research whether WA would still have both liberal_at_heart Oct 2015 #17

I remember in 2008... BlueCheese Oct 2015 #19

And that's exactly what the party leaders want. Between this and the suppression of liberal_at_heart Oct 2015 #20

When we get rid of the electoral college. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Oct 2015 #21

Yes. I've been threatening for years not to bother SheilaT Oct 2015 #31

That would be terrific too. BlueCheese Oct 2015 #39

No Capt. Obvious Oct 2015 #22

Does this benefit Hillary or Sanders in Iowa? DCBob Oct 2015 #24

It's suppresses the vote. I can't imagine how anyone who supports sufrommich Oct 2015 #25

I would not want to go through the caucuse process. bigwillq Oct 2015 #26

Oregon Primary vote by mail, 2008. 71.8% of eligible voters registered, 58.3% voted in the Primary. Bluenorthwest Oct 2015 #29

That sounds like a great system. BlueCheese Oct 2015 #37

I'd like to see election day moved to a Saturday and made a national holiday. NurseJackie Oct 2015 #33

Caucuses need to go yesterday. They are highly un-democratic, don't respect the secret ballot tritsofme Oct 2015 #40