I just heard that Iowa has this crazy law that you can register to vote at the caucas is this true?

[bigdarryl]

If this is the case you can throw all these polls out because you don't know who or how many new voters are going to turn out.

[gateley]

1. Which brings up a question (for me) -- is there a limit to the NUMBER of people

who can caucus in each precinct? Or can anybody show up and all of them can participate? Thanks.

[Debi]

10. No limit as long as they actually live in the precinct

But no matter the amount of attendees - there is a set number of delegates that will be awarded per precinct. The larger number of folks that show up, the larger number of supporters necessary for a candidate to be viable.

[gateley]

14. Thanks! nt

[Skidmore]

16. And the parties caucus separately. You check in at the door

of the designated caucus site and are told which room which party is caucusing in. Your name is on the list of registered voters for the precinct is supplied by the county auditor and that is checked when you show up. Only registered voters in a precinct can participate.

[gateley]

17. I'd love to be a fly on the wall -- or better yet, participate! I think this is absolutely

fascinating!

[Skidmore]

20. I love the process because anyone, literally anyone, can get up

and speak about their candidate. And we discuss the party platform too and you can vote on adding planks to it.

[Debi]

18. Well, yes, but anybody who is eligible to vote on caucus day (including

17 year olds who will be 18 by November 2008) can register to vote on caucus day. Voter registration forms will be available at the caucus location and a separate sign in sheet provided for folks registering to vote on that night. (The republicans will be asking for an ID upon signing in to caucus - unlike the Democrats here).

Most County Democrats and Republicans have totally separate caucus sites, not just separate rooms w/in a site. It's best for a non-registered person who is eligible to vote to contact the local party and find out where their precinct caucus will be held.

Here in Black Hawk County all the Republicans will be caucusing under one roof and just using different rooms for each precinct. Democrats traditionally try to have a different site for each precinct that is located w/in or very near the precinct to encourage attendance by precinct members.

[Skidmore]

19. When I lived in IC, our precinct separated parties into different wings

of a building. Here in rural Iowa county, we are separated into different rooms at the school. I believe last time the Dems got the bandroom.

[Debi]

21. In 2000 the Democrats got the Elementary school (well two precincts did)

and all the republicans got the high school.

:shrug:

The bandroom would rock - except, can you have treats there? :7

[Skidmore]

23. I think we did, and coffee to. In 2000, the Gephardt

supporters from the local unions ended up pissing everyone off so much. They were too ham-handed in trying to push Gep off and people got together in groups and started talking about it, then they positively rebelled. Frankly, I think this is one reason that Gephardt we down so early in the evening.

[DURHAM D]

22. I don't understand your statement.

It is my understanding that you can register that night at the caucus. Why do you say only registered voters in the precinct can participate?

[Skidmore]

24. I'm speaking from my past experience. I do understand that you can

register at the door. I know that when I've come to caucus, we give our names and affiliation and they are checked against lists provided by the auditor.

[zanne]

2. NH has the same crazy law....

Except that it's an election, not a caucus.

[tekisui]

3. Throw them out.

The polls are very rough, and more for story lines than what is actually happening.

[Selatius]

4. If you can prove residency, yeah, you can register the same day for the caucus.

This was written into law to encourage more participation.

[avrdream]

5. Yeah, that's what most of us have been saying about Iowa polls.

Don't get yourself worked up over them - just wait until the actual vote.

[petersjo02]

6. Bingo

That is the case, so the polls taken to date, even within the state, don't necessarily reflect what will happen on caucus night. Nationally the polls have been showing Hillary way ahead. My theory on that is that those polls reflect only name recognition at this early stage in the process. Other states haven't had the exposure to the candidates that we have had here in Iowa and also in New Hampshire. Watching these people on the ground here in Iowa has been an interesting and enlightening experience. For example, I'm officially sick to death of Obama and Hillary sniping at each other, whether personally or through their campaign spokespeople. I thought up front that I would likely support John Edwards. My support for him has only increased over last couple of months. I could and would support Joe Biden or Chris Dodd without reservation also. It seems to me that Hillary and Obama are self destructing before our eyes.

[bigdarryl]

15. thats what Clinton's strategy is to get Edwards out front in Iowa to stop Obama based on.....

what you have just posted it seems to be working

[Debi]

7. I think Iowans have been saying that all along

:shrug: but nobody was listening.

(Oh, and the law isn't so crazy. :hi:)

[tekisui]

8. Most of the polls are phone based push polls, on HOME phones.

Many people do not own home phones anymore. They don't usually have access to cell phone numbers.

[bigdarryl]

11. yeah I know BUT the pollsters keep saying that there polls are accurate

[Skidmore]

25. We get one or two of these per evening. I have a strong suspicion

as to who is responsible, but I won't speculate here.

[Lucinda]

9. yes...but if they wait until caucus day they have to provide

proof of residence and identity

Everything is tooooo close to pay attention to polls right now

[Debi]

12. Proof of residency and identity is as easy as having a neighbor vouching for you

Democrats do not require ID's to register to vote.

[DURHAM D]

30. This seems a little odd.

It appears you do not need an ID to register because you sign a statement that the information on the application is accurate. If you don't have an ID you must provide the last four digits of your social security number.

However, I read in a couple of places that even if you don't have an ID when you register - you will need to show an ID when you actually vote. Therefore, if the neighbor says "This is my neighbor and he/she does not have any kind of ID (Drivers License or State ID)" that person can go ahead and register but it seems likely that the newly registered person will likely be challenged or not allowed to vote due to lack of an ID.

[Lucinda]

32. If they register on caucus day, both proof of idenity and residency are required but

if they register 10 days before they aren't. Very weird.

[DURHAM D]

34. Thanks for the clarification.

I think it is pretty clear that Iowa's voting statutes are somewhat confusing.

Frankly, it looks like they were mostly thinking about a regular elections and not the caucus as they wrote/re-wrote them.

Your comment about what actually happens on the ground the night of the caucus is also important. I don't know how it is decided who works the door or runs the meeting but if they are aggressive (because they want their candidate to win) I am sure a lot of ad hoc decisions are made improperly.

I have voted (and worked for candidates) in caucus states and direct voting states. There is no question that it is much easer to skew the results in a caucus.

[Nailzberg]

35. Does this mean campaign workers brought in from out of state can caucus?

Seems strange that residency wouldn't be required anytime someone registered.

[Debi]

38. Residency is required. It is illegal to participate if you do not live in Iowa

Out of state Iowa college students are presumed to be living in Iowa in order to go to college - out of state campaign workers who will be leaving after the caucuses are not presumed to be living in the state (campaign workers who are from Iowa are obviously a different story and I think each campaign has a number of Iowa residents on staff).

[Lucinda]

41. It would seem so, as long as they registered 10 days before...

Which doesn't seem right....maybe I missed something...?

[Debi]

36. You do need to provide an ID # either and Iowa Identification number or

the last four digits of you Social Security number. You do not need to show your ID at the caucuses. Republicans are making their attendees provide ID, Democrats are not.

As for same day registration at the polls - if a person who registers the same day as an election does not have ID but has a person who will attest for them they will be allowed to vote a regular ballot without being challenged.:

<snip>
When a potential voter cannot provide either proof of identity or residency, the potential voter may
have another registered voter attest to the identity and residency of the voter.
The voter must:
1) Complete a voter registration form (Example 3).
2) Complete the “Oath of Election Day Registrant – Form 1” (Example 7).
The attester must:
1) Complete the “Oath of Attester - Form 2” (Example 8).
After the above steps have been completed, allow the voter to vote a regular ballot.
An Attester:
· Must be a registered voter in the same precinct as the person for whom they are attesting.
o Check an attester’s registration status.
· May only attest for one voter on Election Day.
o Check “Oath of Attester – Form 2” (Example 8) for duplications.
· May be someone who has registered and voted on Election Day but may not be a voter
who has been attested for.
o Check an attester’s registration status.
· May be a PEO but as all other attesters, may only attest for ONE voter on Election Day.
o Keep this in mind as you work on Election Day.

http://www.sos.state.ia.us/PDFs/publications/Guide.pdf

[DURHAM D]

42. It seems that not asking voters for ID might be a violation of

state law.

In a very quick scan of the SOS document I noticed that presidential primaries and caucusing didn't seem to get a mention. Perhaps there is another guide somewhere just for the caucus. Also, it referred constantly to ballots - in the caucus they count bodies not ballots.

I hope someone has a better set of guidelines somewhere. Perhaps the Iowas State Committee has issued further guidelines for the caucus.

The establishment of residency seems like a pretty high thresh hurdle. Some of the out of state students will have a tough time voting unless they have an Iowa Driver's License.

[Debi]

47. Please provide the links you are using to come up with this information

Registering to vote is registering to vote.

The SOS provides ways to prove residency outside of using an ID card in order to register to vote on election day (which would equate to caucus day).

I don't understand your last sentence, Iowa's law and Iowa Democratic Party rules have been made to do just the opposite of what you say. They both encourage participation and are designed to make legal participation as convenient as possible.

Maybe you could send an email to the Iowa Attorney General, Iowa Secretary of State and the Chair of the Iowa Democratic Party with your concerns, then you could post their responses here on DU and maybe ever thing could be clarified.

[Lucinda]

31. According to the Iowa caucus information page both are required if you register on caucus day

What actually happens on the ground may be a different thing..

[Debi]

37. If you do not have an ID that shows your address

you can have a person 'attest' for you that you do live in the precinct where you are caucusing.

[Lucinda]

39. Well...you would know! I was just going by the Iowa SOS information page

:)

[Debi]

40. That's where I got the info - I looked up the poll worker guidebook

:hi:

[proud2BlibKansan]

13. I like same day registration

Anything to increase voter turnout works for me.

[Bitwit1234]

26. Why do you think Oprah went bat crazy bringing in all those

Illinois students to vote for Obama.

[bigdarryl]

27. PLEASE elaborate on what you are talking about

[Skidmore]

29. I'm biting my tongue.

[Lucinda]

33. ? Oprah hasn't brought anyone anywhere. And they haven't voted yet...

I'm really not sure what you mean...

[bigdarryl]

28. Now i see what the Oprah events were all about the media has it wrong it was intended to get NEW ...

people who normally don't vote to the event then take there names and phone numbers so during election day they can call them up to get them motivated to go to the caucus and even possibly provide transportation.The Obama campaign knows Oprah is very popular in Iowa so what they did was smart. the question now is can they get any of these people who were at the Oprah event to caucus and vote for Obama.

[calteacherguy]

43. Sounds like a good idea to me. nt

[OzarkDem]

44. I don't trust the Iowa caucus process

There were so many strange things that happened there in 04, IIRC. Lots of new people showing up at the last minute to caucus, many newly registered Dems. Dean was very strong going in, then a lot of strange things began to happen.

I trust New Hampshire results more than Iowa.

[MonkeyFunk]

45. What's wrong with new voters?

And to the OP, what's crazy about the law? Dems have been pushing same-day registration for many years.

[Lurking Dem]

46. Getting people involved

in the voting process is apparently only good if it helps your candidate/party and disenfranchisement is good if it hurts someone else's candidate.

There was a good diary on kos about the history of disenfranchisement of student voters when this issue first popped up. http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/12/4/02812/9338/476/417529

[Debi]

48. Please expand on the 'many strange things' that happened in Iowa in 2004 n/t

[MaineDem]

49. I think same day registration is a good thing

Of course the polls are invalid. With any sort of election it comes down to turnout. Who's got the better GOTV effort. If campaigns can interest non-voters in coming out, more power to them.

By the way, we have same-day registration here in Maine for elections and our caucuses. It's actually a very progressive idea.