Low Key Caucus

Low Key Democratic Caucus in Precinct 10

It was a much quieter caucus this year in my little corner of the state, Iowa City 10. Two year ago I herded 315 people in the Black Hole Of Library Meeting Room A. Today at Southeast Junior High, we had three.

Single digits seemed to be the rule rather than the exception, though precincts 17 and 18 had better attendance. Off year turnout was better four years ago, when a hot governor primary and a Fallon-led effort to split into preference groups drove up interest.

Both parties clustered a lot of their caucuses at Southeast; one consequence of the first-ever weekend date was a lack of custodial staffing at the elementary schools (and wrestlers got first dibs on City High). Democrats were upstairs, Republicans were downstairs, but I only crossed paths with a couple GOP folks who needed directions.

Secretary of Agriculture candidate Francis Thicke chose to spend his day in Johnson County and stopped by my room. Local electeds were out in full force, but with no one present but the faithful of the faithful, they mostly stayed with their precincts and then visited with folks in the halls before and after.

Precinct 10 didn't do any resolving but the three of us talked issues a bit. And I got elected to the central committee at a caucus for the first time since maybe 2002.

Feel free to throw your thoughts about your caucus, either party, in the comments.