What is a caucus? - WSFA.com: News Weather and Sports for Montgomery, AL.

What is a caucus?

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The voting process in Iowa differs from most states.

Instead of traditional polling places used in primaries and general elections, registered Republicans will meet in one of more than 800 gatherings. Each caucus has a person to chair the meeting, and candidates can select one person to speak on their behalf.

The person speaking is usually only allotted a few minutes. Then votes are collected by secret ballot from all of the attendees.

A couple of odd facts: While voters must be registered as a Republican, they can change their party affiliation until right before the caucuses begin.

Also, the results are merely a straw poll, or non-binding. They do not decide how the state's convention delegates are divided among the candidates.

Delegates for the national convention are selected at the Republican Iowa State Convention, after the other caucuses and primaries are completed.