Iowa Dems pitch out-of-state caucuses
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Iowa Democrats could hold some of their 2020 primary caucuses outside of the state — perhaps as far away as Arizona and Florida — to accommodate “snow birds” or college students who are Iowa residents.
Iowa Democrats floated the possibility Friday as part of a larger plan to expand access to their precinct caucuses by holding in-person sessions at satellite locations across Iowa on the same day as the Iowa caucuses, Feb. 3, 2020.
The proposal, which was conditionally approved by a Democratic National Committee panel on Friday, would allow Iowa residents living outside of the state to hold caucuses in their communities. The same caucus rules would apply to these satellite sites, and the events would happen on the same day as the traditional Iowa precinct caucuses.
“They will show up, participation will happen just like it happens in a precinct caucus,” Iowa Democratic Party Chair Troy Price said in a conference call of the DNC’s Rules and Bylaws committee.
“We do know there are some parts of the country where there are high-density Democrats,” Price said, singling out parts of Arizona and Florida where he said Iowans spend their winters. “We expect we might get an application there,” Price said of Arizona.
Traditionally, the first-in-the-nation caucus state has restricted caucus participation to those who show up in person to their local precincts. Caucuses, which take place in one evening, can stretch several hours.
The DNC had originally required both Iowa and Nevada to expand the accessibility of their caucuses but then scrapped a recent proposal to allow “virtual” telephone-based voting. The new plan would allow satellite caucus sites in places such as factories and group homes, dependent on an application review by a special committee selected by the Iowa Democratic Party. Applications are due by Nov. 18.
“For the folks in other parts of the country, we will, as part of the review process, determine whether there are a sizable number of Democrats who are there,” Price said. “From there, we will advertise them and work with folks to make sure they know this option exists.”
Price said “accessibility organizers” would make steer advertising and public information to potential out-of-state sites.
