Wyoming caucus just a day away

Possibly overlooked due to the first in the nation primary for both parties in New Hampshire, Wyoming prepares for their GOP caucuses set to take place tomorrow Jan. 5, 2008.

You can track the caucus results, demographics, and much more HERE.

Wyoming will be sending 14 delegates on to the GOP's national convention.

After moving family from Connectitcut to work in Iowa, Dodd drops out of race

CNN announced Chris Dodd has dropped out after receiving 1% of the Iowa caucus vote.

Iowa caucus nearly complete, Obama and Huckabee declared winners by CNN

Check it out live HERE

This is very interesting to see Obama win a state that is almost 94% white, and only 2% black. This must say something for Obama and his message.

From CNN:

Past Highlights

DEMOCRATS
2000: Al Gore scores decisive caucus victory over Bill Bradley
1992: "Favorite son" Tom Harkin gets 76 percent of the vote
1976: Jimmy Carter seen as winner despite placing 2nd behind "Uncommitted"

REPUBLICANS
2000: George W. Bush records highest percentage ever in contested GOP caucus
1996: Pat Buchanan gains major momentum from second-place finish
1980: George Bush's small win exceeds expectations and is seen as major upset

2008 Presidential Primary, Caucus Dates

Here is a slick calender - that details state by state primaries and caucuses

Find a handy PDF here

Here is Iowa caucus results

Iowa caucuses explained

With the caucuses now less the a day away, let us break down Iowa's unusual caucuses.

For the Democratic Party, caucuses form all around the state based upon specified precincts. Unlike the primaries, where voters pick candidates via ballots, caucuses form and ultimately pick one candidate. Caucuses take place at schools and libraries, and truly are groups of people whom convene and decide whom they like most. For example, one caucus may consist of 100 people. Within that caucus, one candidate will be selected by process of elimination. They use a 15% rule. People break up into the groups of whom they favor. The candidate must receive 15% of the vote. So, if there were 7 candidates, and 3 candidates received 20% each, and the other 4 candidates received 40% combined - but not one getting at least 15%, those people must then pick from the other 3 candidates.`So now, lets call the first three candidates A,B, and C. A ends up after the others were forced to re vote with 40%, B the same, and C now has only 20%. C is forced to re vote between the top 2. Now B has 55%, and A only %45. B wins. And then that county or precincts caucus sends their vote tally to their respective headquarters.

For the Republican Party, its a different story. Secret ballots determine delegates. "The vote determines which delegates, representing which candidates, will attend county conventions. There, delegates are chosen for state congressional district conventions, where delegate to national convention are picked.

The Republicans use a winner-take-all system. Whichever candidate wins the caucuses takes all of the delegates for the state."


I hope that helps as I saw that on CNN this and referenced another article i posted previously.

Here it is as explained in further detail by wiki "The Iowa caucus operates very differently from the more common primary election used by most other states (see U.S. presidential primary). The caucus is generally defined as a "gathering of neighbors." Rather than going to polls and casting ballots, Iowans gather at a set location in each of Iowa's 1784 precincts. Typically, these meetings occur in schools, churches, or public libraries. The caucuses are held every two years, but the ones that receive national attention are the presidential preference caucuses held every four years. In addition to the voting and the presidential preference choices, caucus-goers begin the process of writing their parties’ platforms by introducing resolutions. [1]

Unlike the first-in-the-nation New Hampshire primary, the Iowa caucus does not result directly in national delegates for each candidate. Instead, caucus-goers elect delegates to county conventions, who elect delegates to district and state conventions where the national convention delegates are selected.[citation needed]

The Republicans and Democrats each hold their own set of caucuses subject to their own particular rules that change from time to time. Participants in each party's caucuses must be registered with that party. Participants can change their registration at the caucus location. Additionally, 17-year-olds can participate, as long as they will be 18 years old by the date of the general election. Observers are allowed to attend, as long as they do not become actively involved in the debate and voting process.

How the 2008 Presidential Election process takes place - Primaries and Caucuses, Results

Many friends and family are confused as to exactly how candidates are selected for party nomination, and how they end up representing a major political party in the general election. Well, let me break it down for you in simple terms.

The process kicks off (for the two major political parties in the US) with candidates battling for their parties nomination by competing in each state's primary election or caucus. After a nominee is selected, they move on to the general election, where our President is chosen.

Let us start with dates for caucuses and primaries:

Here is a slick calender - that details state by state primaries and caucuses

Find another similar handy PDF here

Next, if you haven't registered to vote do so
Here it is. with the State by state voter registration guide.

Then, let us proceed to what you really came for, more info on the primary election and caucus process.

Here is info on the general election process.

The following are two places tracking the Caucus and Primaries results.
This is the best one from CNN. Just scroll down, and to the left is a map of the US where you can select the state.

Here is another place that tracks results of the primaries and caucuses. Nothing has been published here yet.

In addition, here is Iowa for a live example of recent caucuses.

Here is the Iowa Caucus explained, as it is a bit different than all the rest of the caucuses.

Here is a Q&A on caucuses.

Here is Iowa caucus results

Wyoming Results too can be found HERE

I hope this helps.