how do caucuses work?

[ButterflyBlood]

I know that Minnesota's a caucus state and I've never been involved in such a thing before. From what I've gathered this probably means there aren't loads of voting booths everywhere like a primary, just centers spread out across the state. This shouldn't be too much of an inconvenience for me since my city would probably be one to have such a place.

[dsc]

1. In Iowa in 88

I went to one of these. There was only one caucus site for the entire city of Burlington Iowa (not huge but certainly it had to have had several precincts). It started with a long discussion of several possible planks to the state platform. After those were discussed and voted on it was time for the people to get into groups according to who they support. There is one group for each candidate and one for undecided. The delegates to the county convention were divided proportionately to the extent possible. I think it was Gephardt, Simon, and undecided who got delegates.

[Gore1FL]

2. I went to Missouri in 84

It was the only time "my" candidate made it to Missouri before pulling out of the race.

The one I went to was a fiasco of major proportions, but -- the long and short of it is this.

You stand in line and sign in -- have to be in line by a designated time.

Once everyone is signed in and assembled, nominations for the candidates are given. Then people congregate towards others supporting their candidates and people are counted. Those without viable caucuses either join others, or leave.

Once it is determined how the totals balance, representaties from the viable caucuses are sent to the next level and work their way up to the state level where the final distribution oif delgates is decided.

That is it in a nutshell.