All eyes will be on Iowa as voters in the state prepare for the Iowa caucuses on Monday, Jan. 15. The Iowa caucuses have been an important marker in the lead up to presidential elections since Iowa earned its first-in-the-nation status for the Democrat Party in 1972 and the Republican Party in 1976. While Republicans across Iowa will once again carry on the tradition of casting the first votes for their presidential nominee, things will look different for Iowa Democrats as caucus-goers will not vote or indicate their pick to represent the party on the November ballot.
Republican caucuses
Voters in the Republican Party will declare their presidential preference, elect local party leadership, and discuss issues important to them for the party’s platform. The 2024 Iowa Republican Party Precinct Caucuses will be held at 7 p.m. on Monday, Jan 15, at individual precinct locations in all 99 counties of Iowa. There will be two main agenda items at every Republican caucus site: Holding a binding vote for the party’s presidential nominee and electing delegates to attend county conventions. Only registered Republicans may participate in the caucuses and only in their designated precincts. Iowans may register or change their party affiliation on caucus day. Voters must be at least 17 years old, turning 18 before election day on Nov. 5.
Local Jasper County Republican Caucuses will be at Lynnville-Sully Middle School Gym in Sully for residents of Buena Vista-Elk Creek and Lynn Grove-Richland Precincts. Other Jasper County locations are: Clear Creek-Independence Precinct-Baxter City Hall; Colfax Precincts 1, 2, and 3-Colfax-Mingo Elementary School; Mound Prairie-Poweshiek-Wash-ington Precinct-Colfax-Mingo Elementary School; Des Moines Precinct-PCM Middle School Library, Prairie City; Fairview Precinct, PCM High School Library, Monroe; Hickory Grove-Kellogg-Mariposa-Rock Creek Precinct-Kellogg United Methodist Church; Malaka-Newton-Sherman Precinct-Berg Middle School, Newton; all Newton precincts-Berg Middle School, Newton; Palo Alto Precinct-Berg Middle School, Newton.
Searsboro and Sugar Creek and Washington Townships in Poweshiek County will meet at Grinnell High School, Grinnell.
Democratic caucuses
After the 2020 Iowa Democratic Party Precinct Caucuses failed to produce a clear, undisputed winner, Iowa Demo-crats made changes to their presidential delegate selection process, and the Democratic National Committee removed Iowa from its first-in-the-nation status in favor of South Carolina. The Democratic caucuses on Jan. 15 will elect delegates to the county convention. Iowa Democrats will vote for a party nominee through a mail-in voting process that begins Jan. 12 and concludes Mar. 5.
Jasper County Democratic Precinct Caucuses will all be held at EJH Beard Administration Center, 1302 1st Ave. W., Newton.
Jasper County Democratic Precinct Caucuses will all be held at EJH Beard Administration Center, 1302 1st Ave. W., Newton.
Searsboro and Sugar Creek and Washington Townships in Poweshiek County will meet at First Presbyterian Church, 1024 5th Ave., Grinnell.
Caucus goers must be registered to vote. If not, please register at your county auditor’s office before the caucus or at the caucus.
Caucus goers must be registered for the party’s caucus they wish to attend, which may be done at caucuses. Independents can pick a party’s caucus to attend, change to that party, and after the caucus change back to Independent if they so choose.
To learn more about caucus participation, see iowagop.org/2024caucus or iowademocrats.org/caucus.
