Week 3: Role of Media and Technology, Section 1

Brief snapshot of News Media and Caucuses

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The Every Four Years politicians with their eye on the White House come to Iowa to build their momentum for the nomination and perhaps a victory in November over the other party.

The Iowa Caucuses bring together Democratic and Republican political activists in each of the state’s over 1,700 precincts. On caucus night, usually starting at seven pm, attendees gather in schools, fire stations, community centers, or people’s homes to express their preference.

The Republican caucuses are straight forward with a secret ballot vote in each caucus. The results are called into the caucus headquarters in Des Moines and reported to a huge news media presence.

Democratic caucuses are much more complicated. People at each caucus actively campaign for their favorite candidate. Then they cluster in different parts of the caucus site. There is a complex formula for deciding which candidate has sufficient supporters to be “viable.” Candidates who don’t receive enough support are non viable and the supporters then are asked to join one of the groups that are viable. Everything is very public rather than secret in the Democratic caucuses.

The completion of the event is a count of the strength of each candidate and the results are called in, reported to the caucus center, and at the end of the evening, when all the caucuses have reported, a “winner” is declared and reported to the media.

The caucuses have been called largely a “media event” because no delegates for candidates are actually selected. Delegates for candidates are chosen at the county, district and state party conventions. However, since 1972 the caucuses have become one of the most important political benchmarks for presidential contenders. With one exception -- no candidate who has come in lower than third in Iowa has won the nomination of his party nor the Presidency.

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 Test yourself on News Media and Caucuses

Videos

• Interview with Dave Price, Political Director, WHO TV
• Iowa Political Scientists Meet, Panel Discussion on Iowa Caucuses