Democrats consider caucus tweaks

DES MOINES - The future of Iowa's first-in-the-nation Democratic caucuses will be discussed when a statewide panel of party leaders begins its work with a meeting next weekend in Des Moines.

Convened by state party chairwoman Andy McGuire and led by former congressman and party chairman Dave Nagle, the review panel will discuss review the 2016 caucuses and discuss any potential changes needed before making recommendations to the state party's leadership committee.

The committee will meet periodically, also hosting listening sessions across the state to gather input from grass roots Democrats. Those events are still to be scheduled.

'As we have always done, we want to improve upon the first-in-the-nation Iowa caucuses to make them more inclusive and a better experience for all involved,” McGuire said in an emailed statement to the Des Moines bureau. 'No suggestions are off the table. We always want the Iowa caucuses to be inclusive, accessible and help us build a stronger party.”

Roughly 171,000 Democrats caucused on Feb. 1; it was the party's second-largest turnout ever. The Democratic caucuses also were historically close: Hillary Clinton edged Bernie Sanders by a mere quarter of a percent.

The high turnout led in some precincts to long lines, and the razor-thin margin placed a heightened focus on the results, some of which were called into question by the Sanders campaign, although a post-caucus review yielded only miniscule changes.

Those issues and others --- like how to make the caucuses easier to attend and run more smoothly --- will be discussed when the committee meets over the coming months.

Some Democrats in the immediate wake of the caucuses called for dramatic changes to the party's caucus system, in which people express support for a presidential candidate by grouping together in a room. Some said they believe the Democratic caucuses should become more like a straw poll vote.

Nagle said the review committee will consider any suggestions, but he cautioned against making dramatic alterations.

'It's very important when we look at what to do about it, that we don't allow one presidential election --- this one --- to override the success we've had over the years,” said Nagle, who now practices law in Waterloo. 'There's a strong tradition here, and we have to make sure we preserve the basic character of the caucus in any changes we make. …

'There's been suggestions, for example, that we abolish the Iowa caucus and move to a June primary. … The closer we move to a primary, the more we destroy the character of our state. I'm not into straw polls.”

Chris Hall, a review committee member and state legislator from Sioux City, said he comes to the process with an open mind and willingness to suggesting changes that 'improve the process.”

Hall noted the Democrats' system of caucusing for presidential candidates was designed in the 1970s for neighborhood-sized gatherings, and has grown to where hundreds are now caucusing in some precincts.

Some precinct venues across the state proved insufficient for unexpectedly large crowds on caucus night.

Hall said he would like the committee to find a way to sustain the colloquial qualities of the caucuses while not cramming hundreds of people into a small space.

'There has to be a happy medium,” he said.

Evan Burger, a review committee member from Ames, agreed.

'This system was really not designed for this number of people,” Burger said. 'Any stress we can take off the system is going to make it run a little bit better.”

Burger said he is the only review committee member who supported Bernie Sanders for president before the caucuses, and that he hopes the committee will consider ways to make the caucuses more inclusive to people new to the political process.

For example, he believes the party should consider holding caucuses on a weekend or allowing Democrats to caucus via absentee ballot, something the party has resisted in the past because it would be too much like casting a traditional vote.

'It's a great opportunity to make the caucuses a lot more accessible to a lot more people in a number of ways,” Burger said. 'I think as great as the caucuses were this year, they showed a lot of room for improvement, a need for review and taking a look at how we can make them more accessible.”