Called Game Day by many, the Iowa caucus marks the official start of the 2016 Presidential Election. Up until today, the election was largely being contested in the wings, through televised debates, over social media and recorded in the polls. On the 1st of February, the people of Iowa get to fire the first shot of election season and what they decide is crucial, or so it seems anyway.
Many wonder why the Iowa caucus, along with the New Hampshire Primary are deemed so important. After all, Iowa isn’t demographically representative of the US population and yet people see it as a predictor of the ultimate party picks. The power and influence of Iowa are largely embedded in tradition and doesn’t seem to be in following with the growing trajectory of the US landscape but…
So why is this?
First impressions count for everything and Iowa seem to be the interviewer that every other state gauges which candidate gets the job. The first contest is hugely influential because it demonstrates who has put in the hard yards.
Iowans vote in caucuses, which are small political meetings held throughout 1,681 locations scattered around the state. They are similar to primaries in that residents cast ballots for their preferred party candidate, and whatever garners the most votes wins. On the republican side, the caucuses are straightforward, voters turn up, listen to speeches and then cast their vote by secret ballot. Votes are then counted statewide and a winner is ultimately announced.
On the Democratic side, the process is more complex and time-consuming. A voter must physically go stand with fellow supporters of your preferred candidate. There is no secret ballot, and if a Democratic candidate doesn’t get enough supporters in a precinct (15%), he or she is eliminated - kinda like Survivor. Those who voted for a losing candidate are then coaxed by others to join their side and to vote for the candidate of choice. At the end, the results are collated across the state in all precincts.
So yes, a caucus is probably more effort than a primary but that only adds to the drama: Game Day it is!
Listening to our current users, we are aware that there can be an internal struggle of team management when it comes to organizing quickly. To get people out on doors, the back and forth over Whatsapp, Messenger, and (insert other apps here) can be endless. We aim to streamline this process for you with Ecanvasser. Now organizers can commit via the Walk app (their canvassing app!) and get notified in the run-up to the event so that they don’t forget. By building it into the door knocking process life has gotten a lot easier for campaign managers.