Caucusgoers: Get to your site early on Tuesday

By Eric Rosenthal

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The 2012 Iowa Neighborhood Precinct Caucuses are arriving early in the new year. The 7 p.m. start time Tuesday will be one of the earliest caucus dates in history. This has left many of the 1,774 neighborhood precincts across Iowa scrambling for space on a busy Tuesday school night.

On the Republican side of the aisle, everything is up in the air, after seeing a new leader emerge in the polls every couple of weeks. This may mean more participation from all across the political spectrum.

As the volunteer caucus chairman for Linn County Republicans, I appeal to Republicans across Eastern Iowa to get to the caucuses early on Tuesday. Many sites will start check in at 6 p.m. or earlier.

If you were not a registered Republican in your precinct as of mid-November, and wish to participate in the Republican caucuses, you will need to reregister as a Republican and provide a photo ID or another form of ID such as a utility bill. Anyone who will be 18 years old on or before Nov. 6 (Election Day) may caucus.

If this applies to you, please come early.

The schedule for Republican caucuses will be as follows:

Check in before 7 p.m. Those arriving late will be seated only at the discretion of the rest of the caucus that is already seated.

The caucus will then elect a permanent chair and secretary and “pass the hat” for donations to cover the cost of putting on the caucuses and for helping with the operation of the local party. Brief speeches will be made on behalf of candidates followed by a vote by secret ballot (no absentee ballots; you must be present to vote).

Precinct committee members will be elected to represent the neighborhood caucus as volunteers for two years on the county central committee.

The remainder of the evening is spent submitting platform “planks” or positions on issues, signing up to be a convention delegate and volunteering for various committees for the county convention.

The most effective way to exert influence is to go not only to your caucus, but to also attend and volunteer at conventions. That insures a continuity of support for both issues and candidates, perhaps up to the national level.

There are some misconceptions surrounding the caucuses. Iowa law is quite clear. Hosting the caucuses is regarded as a public duty and not a partisan act, very similar to hosting a polling location. Public buildings are required to be made available if scheduling permits, but private organizations and churches have complete discretion whether or not to host the caucuses.

Another misconception concerns the differences between the parties' caucuses. Republican caucuses do not require a threshold for candidate support, and candidates can get as little as a single vote in a precinct, and that vote will still count.

The selection of delegates in Iowa is made through the convention process and not through the presidential preference vote of the caucuses.

Caucuses are different from primaries. Primaries do not demand the same type of involvement in candidates, nor issues.

The Iowa caucuses are run almost entirely by volunteers. The few paid staff work for the state parties in Des Moines. Candidates' staffers are not running the caucuses. The caucuses are run by neighborhood volunteers in a brilliant display of grass roots self-governance.

Do not feel intimidated by the caucus process. These are your neighbors. Please attend your caucus and find out for yourself on Tuesday.

Eric Rosenthal has served as Linn County Republican Party chairman (2003 to 2005) and Linn County Republican caucus chairman (2012). See www.linncountyGOP.org for caucus site information. Comments: (319) 423-9467 or ericannrosenthal@aol.com