By: Tess Lampe
The Iowa Democratic Caucuses that took place on February 3rd, 2020 have gotten much attention from the media. These caucuses are very significant, which is why many candidates visit our state so often during the election season. First, politics can be quite complex, especially around this time of year, so I’ll explain what a caucus is.
A caucus, similar to an election, is where political candidates are chosen for presidential elections which later leads to a certain candidate from each party being chosen as well. It is necessary for a candidate being voted on in a caucus to have at least 15% of the votes in a precinct, or district, to move on to the second and final voting. The final vote determines the amount of delegates, or elected representatives, a candidate will have. In simple terms, a caucus chooses a political party’s leaders and possible candidates for office.
The Iowa Caucuses are what start off the election season, which is why they are held with such significance. Many factors have gone into what has increased or decreased the amount of votes for a candidate in the Iowa Caucuses in the past, so it is never exactly sure what will or what will not ensure a win for a certain candidate. Because the Iowa Caucuses are the first step in gaining votes and victories in the season, winning for your political party could possibly make it an easier road ahead. The next main caucuses are in New Hampshire. Therefore, winning in Iowa can easily put you in the running for more votes elsewhere.
Many results of the Iowa Caucuses have not yet been published or released, but the results that are viewable now tell us the amount of delegates some candidates will receive. The top two Democratic candidates who will receive the most delegates include Pete Buttigieg and Bernie Sanders. Based on the amount of votes for each Democratic candidate, Pete Buttigieg has approximately a 95% chance of winning the Iowa Caucuses. Bernie Sanders, having a very close amount of votes to Pete Buttigieg, is close behind and leads in first & final votes.
The Iowa Democratic Caucuses have historically proven to be very important to the election season. This year’s caucuses, even though not all results are out yet, have also proven that there is a tight race between many Democratic candidates. As mentioned before, politics around this time can be confusing to the common people, so make sure to stay updated if you’re interested and vote when the time comes!
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/02/04/us/elections/results-iowa-caucus.html
https://www.thestreet.com/politics/what-is-a-caucus
https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/03/politics/why-iowa-caucuses-are-important/index.html
No comments:
Post a Comment