How Long Does a Caucus Last?
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Time Frame
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A caucus can last several hours. Many factors can affect the length of a caucus, including the political party whose caucus you attend. The Democratic and Republican parties have their own rules governing the conduct of their respective caucuses. In addition, the number of people participating, the number of candidates and other issues to be discussed, and how well the meeting is managed can affect the length of a caucus meeting. A caucus meeting with only a small number of participants will last much shorter than a large contentious caucus with many participants.
Applicable state laws governing caucuses will vary across states and may also affect the length of a caucus.
Features
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To accommodate all the participants, caucuses are held in public venues, such as schools and community centers. At the caucus, participants split into groups according to the candidate they favor. Undecided participants form a group for the undecided. After grouping, participants from each of the groups speak in favor of their chosen candidates, hoping to attract undecided caucus participants and supporters from rival groups. Attendees have the opportunity during the meeting to switch groups before a count is taken to determine the candidate with the most supporters. This process takes time, as each candidate's supporters should have the opportunity to speak for their candidate.
Other caucus business includes choosing party convention delegates. Each party has its own rules for determining the number of delegates chosen. Delegates chosen at a caucus attend the party's county or state conventions. Delegate selection is another reason for the length of caucus meetings.
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Considerations
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Because caucusing requires a greater time commitment than a primary election, participation in caucuses is much lower than the level of turnout for a primary election. The Council on Foreign Relations reported that in 2008, about 44,000 people participated in the Democratic caucuses in Maine, but that more than six times that number voted in neighboring New Hampshire's Democratic primary election.
Political scientist Alan Abramowitz of Emory University reported that caucus participants tend to be more educated and affluent. One reason for this may be that such people have more time to take part in caucus activities. In addition, caucus attendees are more partisan than most voters.
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