caucus system
Party nomination process
The caucus system is a method of selecting political party nominees or delegates through local meetings rather than primary elections.
Participants gather in person to debate candidates and cast votes openly, often through physical groupings or show of hands.
The system rewards organization and activist enthusiasm over broad turnout: Iowa's caucus system gives outsider candidates a chance to build momentum.
Critics argue caucuses suppress participation by requiring hours of attendance at fixed times.
- delegate countNumber of convention votes
- straw pollUnofficial sampling of views
- ranked choiceVoting by ordered preference
- binding voteVote requiring compliance
- committeeAppointed group for duties
deliberation · consensus-building · quorum · floor vote · faction · precinct captain · party boss · leadership · voting · negotiation · membership · grassroots organizing · party conventions · party platform · agenda-setting · debate · town hall meetings · voter turnout
caucus systemprimary election
Party candidate selection vote
closed primary · open primary · secret ballot · popular vote · absentee voting
caucus systemmail-in voting
Elections conducted through post
early voting · absentee voting · vote-by-mail · electronic voting · referendum
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