This was our ONLY single Precinct Caucus site and is a good example of how
thigns SHOULD go. Reported by Bill Dahlsten
Linn County Republicans in Cedar Rapids precinct 24 (CR-24) caucused on Feb. 1, 2016. It was a large caucus. It was a presidential caucus. It was a successful caucus.
Other Republicans in Linn County say their caucus the same evening was not successful. Why did CR-24 have a successful caucus?
Republicans in CR-24 ran a standalone caucus. About 15 Republicans in CR-24 organized and ran the caucus. CR-24 was not part of a mass forced together beyond the critical point of chaos. This almost did not happen.
CR-24 was originally supposed to be part of a mass caucus site at Cedar Rapids downtown Double Tree Hotel. As the word of this spread, some Republicans in CR-24 were not pleased. Bruce Lindholm and I looked at sites ourselves and found Bethany Lutheran Church was available as a caucus site.
Bethany Lutheran is CR-24's polling place. Bethany Lutheran has a large events room. Bethany Lutheran has a good sized parking lot. CR-24 Republicans filled Bethany Lutheran on Feb. 1st. .
A precinct caucus is not held to convenience office seekers. A precinct caucus is not held as a circus to draw media attention. A precinct caucus is held for residents of the precinct.
What the presidential candidates themselves had to say had already been paid broadcast and blast called to all. A member of the caucus got two minutes at the podium to advocate for each presidential candidate.
What mattered to the advocating speaker was heard. It was what each caucus speaker believed their candidate could bring for the good of all. It was a fresh take on the message in contrast to consultant provided sound bites tested before focus groups.
All in CR-24's caucus heard what the speakers said. There was no cross talk over another caucus, or worse yet multiple caucuses jammed in together.
Balloting commenced a little around 7:30. Bruce Lindholm thankfully discarded the tiny, blank ballots supplied in the caucus kit. Blue paper ballots with names preprinted produced by Bruce expedited ballot counting. Just before 8:00 Dr. Don Nelson reported CR-24's presidential results to Des Moines.
280 and presidential ballots were cast in CR-24. Most of those present left after the announcement. About 15-25 stay for electing county central committee and other party business. That is about the same number of CR-24 Republicans who caucus in off years.
$806 was collected in the Lincoln Bag. Required reports were filled out and turned in.
Many who caucused in CR-24 expressed gratitude they were not mass caucusing in downtown Cedar Rapids. Many said they never would have attended such a caucus. That number included a few of approximately 15 people who volunteered to help run the caucus.
The most rewarding aspect of single site caucusing was seeing the elderly participants. Bethany Lutheran was easily accessible for them. The distance to walk from the front door to a chair was short.
I attended my first Iowa Republican caucus in 1972. That caucus was a small gathering held in the living room of Fred and Sally Bell in Burlington. Other than the number caucusing, my 22nd Iowa Republican caucus at Bethany Lutheran Church in 2016 was much the same.
Republican neighbors gathered within their precinct to caucus. They got down to business. They debated and discussed issues in an orderly manner. They kept the caucus process moving and went home happy at a decent hour.
William H. Dahlsten
CR-24 Linn County Republican Party Central Committee
Post Comment | View Comments (1) | Permalink | Share This Post
