How the Iowa caucuses work (part 1), w/poll « Thread Started

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How the Iowa caucuses work (part 1), w/poll « Thread Started on Nov 21, 2007, 7:33am » --------------------------------------------------------------------------------How the Iowa caucuses work (part 1), w/poll by desmoinesdem Tue Feb 27, 2007 at 10:38:08 AM PSTread at source> http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/ ... 8/4218This diary is not a defense of the Iowa caucuses. Frankly, I would much rather have a presidential primary, in which each person can cast one vote using a secret ballot. The caucuses are unfair to shift workers who can't get a Monday night off, elderly people who don't like to go out at night or head south for the winter, handicapped people who prefer to vote by absentee ballot, parents who can't leave young children for an hour or more at bedtime, people who do not want to declare a political preference in public, etc. Moreover, the caucus system does not count everyone's vote equally.But here in Iowa, we're stuck with this system. All of you may as well learn how the caucuses work and why we say things like, "Iowa is notoriously hard to poll" and "Organization is really important in Iowa" and "Second choices matter in Iowa" and "Broad support across Iowa is crucial."Political junkies, follow me after the jump for part one of this series, which explains how delegates are assigned on the Democratic side in the Iowa caucuses.How the Iowa caucuses work, part 2 (corrects an error in part 1 and discusses who is over-represented and who is under-represented when delegates are counted)+>> http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/ ... 3/96613How the Iowa caucuses work, part 3 (why it's hard to turn out caucus-goers)+>> http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/ ... 33/2503How the Iowa caucuses work, part 4 (more about why caucus turnout is low)+>> http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/ ... 19/1720How the Iowa caucuses work, part 5 (on second choices and caucus math)+>> http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/ ... 15/6000How the Iowa caucuses work, part 6+>> http://www.bleedingheartland.com/showDi ... iaryId=681