A dumb question: What is the difference between a caucus and a primary?

[panader0]

Why isn't it called the Iowa primary?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. Caucuses are totally different from primaries.

Primaries are just ordinary elections where you vote for your choice from a slate of candidates in your party.

A caucus is a completely different thing -- it's basically a big meeting where people supporting candidates gather in groups (subcaucuses) and try to collect as many votes as possible by getting votes from other subcaucuses. In Iowa, if a candidate doesn't get at least 15% of the total votes of a caucus they can align with another subcaucus, so the Kucinich subcaucus, for example, could merge with the Edwards subcaucus, giving Edwards more votes. This is also why the Iowa polls are so unreliable -- they don't pay attention to the second choices, which are often what determine the outcome.

Sometimes they can get a little strange. Minnesota also has caucuses, and I've been to several of them. What often happens is that you get splinter subcaucuses representing an issue rather than a particular candidate, like Vegan Bicyclists Against Global Warming, which will later merge into a larger subcaucus, like Mothers Against Global Warming, which will eventually align itself with a candidate. The whole process can be very protracted.

[polichick]

2. Caucuses sound like fun - wish my state had one...

Thanks for the colorful explanation ~ Vegan Bicyclists Against Global Warming!

[undeterred]

3. It rhymes with raucous.

But I don't know if they are or not. :shrug:

[polichick]

5. Yeah, it sounds so participatory and democratic...

Raucous in a good way!

[dflprincess]

6. It is indeed!

What I like about our caucuses is that a lot more attention gets paid to issues than normally happens with an election (primary or general).

[polichick]

13. You're so lucky - ENJOY! nt

[Selatius]

7. That's one appeal to the process, the drawback is that it's not a scalable activity.

Meaning, if everybody in the state who is of voting age decided to go to the local sub-caucus meeting, the process would become extensively drawn out and awkward given the sheer number of people. If politics were more decentralized such that more participatory style of democracy could be achieved, I'd be in favor of it, simply because it gives the individual voter more direct input into the final outcome.

[Frustratedlady]

8. It may become more complicated this year, as it sounds like a large

turnout may be in the picture. I know we have more from our family participating--nearly all for the first time ever. Should be interesting.

[polichick]

16. Must be exciting with all the newbies! nt

[polichick]

15. I can see how it could get complicated...

I'd be happy if every state held a regular ol' primary on the same day ~ it's all over before I even get to vote!

Actually, there's not much that's democratic about our voting system ~ from the primary/caucus set-up, to the electoral college, to the disparate and unreliable voting machines. You'd think that by now we'd have figured out a far better way.

[undeterred]

10. But you can't get into the Iowa caucus unless you're from Iowa, right?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

11. Right. You have to be a resident (however Iowa defines "resident").

[Lisa0825]

14. If I recall correctly....

they do let some observers in. I went to Iowa 4 years ago. When the pre-caucus festivities were over, I remember being asked if I wanted to go observe the caucus. I declined because there was someone with me who I knew would kill to go. I believe they were instructed that they could not participate in any discussion, just observe the process. I do not know if they were physically separated from the group, watched on closed circuit TV or what. I just know "observing" was mentioned. I wish I remembered more from that trip, but it was an incredibly sleep-depriving event, not to mention the number of brain cells I lost from the extreme weather and nightly camp parties!

edited to oadd:

http://www.iowafirstcaucus.org/pdfs/2008_Caucus_Guide.pdf
"Those who do not meet one of more of the above qualifications are allowed to remain
at the caucus as an observer."

[CrispyQ]

4. Colorado is going to a caucus system this year --

something that not one of my friends was aware of until I told them. Sadly, not one of them is planning on participating, either. In some ways, you have more of a voice with a caucus because fewer people participate. It takes more time than simply going to the polls to vote.

[polichick]

17. I hope you're planning to participate...

It's probably good that fewer people participate because the outcome won't be watered-down with the boneheaded choices of uninformed voters ~ I imagine it's only those who care enough to think it through that participate.

[Yael]

9. On top of what was said, the purpose of a caucus is to elect delegates

where a primary, people are voting for the candidates themselves. Just a slight distinction.

Don't be embarassed to ask. I looked it up myself a while back as I wasn't sure. I have always lived in Primary states.

ETA -- spelling

[polichick]

18. Thanks - I didn't know that...

I've always lived in Primary states too.

[shraby]

12. Always remember..there are no dumb questions.

There are dumb answers though. If you don't know something, never be afraid to ask.

on edit, I'm not referring to the excellent answers that were given here.