Caucus

The word "caucus" has two meanings in American politics. In elections, a caucus is a local meeting in which party members gather, discuss and vote publicly, or by a show of hands or by moving to groups, to choose delegates for a nominating convention. In legislatures, a caucus is the group of members of a party, such as the House Republican Conference, or of members who share an interest, such as the Congressional Black Caucus or the Freedom Caucus.

Presidential caucuses take more time than primaries and require voters to attend at a fixed hour, which limits participation. Iowa's Republican caucuses have traditionally opened the presidential nominating season, while Democrats in Iowa moved to a mail-in system in 2024 after problems in 2020. Many states have replaced caucuses with primaries, and some parties hold both.

Supporters say caucuses encourage activists, discussion and organizing. Critics say they exclude shift workers, parents and others who cannot attend, and lead to low and unrepresentative turnout. The calendar of early states is a recurring dispute that parties settle for themselves. Compare the closed primary and the role of superdelegates in nominating conventions.