Reflections of an Iowa Caucus Night
May 21, 2008 3 Comments
In reflection, what a Caucus Night it was!!!! The media hype, the phone calls (day and night), the glossy looking mailers that filled my mail box…. wondering what the weather would be like. And finally, time to leave for the caucus site. I arrived at 6:30 and found there was not a legal place to park. Not to worry- I found a spot that would do.
After entering the school building to much chaos and confusion (it was the democrat line), I followed the signs to my room. Crammed into a math classroom surely used by 20 students were 96 strangers, all ready to start the caucus process. But wait- more chaos…. not enough registration forms, people sitting on the floor, waiting for the door to close at 7… wait again, the door closes at 7:26, caucus begins with ballots being collected in the waste paper container. Ballots filled out by old, young, and in-between. It was an amazing experience.
I reflect upon my second ever caucus experience because there is a lot to learn from it. So much interest, build up… then over. A lot like getting ready for Christmas. So, where do we go from here? Is the Republican Party any more organized, is it reaching out to do something with the enthusiasm generated with the caucus participation? Did they want our vote and then think we will just fade into the sunset and show up in another 4 years?
I really do not know the answers to my questions but I would be interested in hearing about your caucus experience and your vision as to where the Republican Party is headed post caucus. I am only one person but I am determined to make my voice heard and my beliefs known.
I am waiting and hoping to hear more reflections and also ideas for the next wave in Iowa politics.
That is how I felt on caucus night. It felt like they weren’t prepared for it at all. Looking forward to reading some more of your work.
Ours was pretty organized. I have been old enough to vote for 20 years (okay, now you know my age) and have never caucused. It felt good to pick who I thought should represent me. It was almost more saitisfying than voting for president because I felt that there were enough candidates to pick from that I could choose my perfect fit.
My caucus was filled to beyond capacity. The Democrats were in a separate location. People were still standing in line out the door when 7 pm arrived. They ran out of registration forms and many were not on “the list”. Some brought children and infants. because of the building/room design not all could hear or see. We did not get to discuss or vote on proposed planks. People got along well and there was no nastiness.
It was my second caucus. i was in a different town for the first one so it is difficult to compare.