Post-caucus voting, paper ballots, voter-convincing speeches: Weird and old, caucuses kick off US presidential race | the world

With Joe Biden and Donald Trump hotly contested, the November 2024 US presidential race will begin this Monday (15) with a unique and unique vote in the world: the so-called Iowa State Caucus.

👉 Caucuses, The Old voting model To define candidates still practiced in America (first in the 18th century), they are species Small meetings where voters debate and then vote On the candidate they believe should run for the party they are affiliated with – in this case, the Republican Party (Check the pre-candidate list below)

The Democrats will also hold their own caucus in Iowa on the same date, but They will not vote; For Democrats, the process is just a debate, followed by a public vote only in March.

👀 That is why, All eyes are on the Republican front-runnersLed by former President Donald Trump, he is the overwhelming favorite among front-runners in a dispute within the party, according to polls of voting intentions.

In practice, the poll doesn't make much sense: Iowa, a state in America's Midwest, It is about 1.6% of the total representatives. But there is one Identity power: acts as a A kind of thermometer and morale booster For the selected candidate.

For example, it was the state caucuses that revealed two previously little-known former presidents Global and national arena: Jimmy Carter won in 1976and Barack Obama, who won a race against Hillary Clinton there and then won the race for the White House in 2008. Both carried Iowa when Democrats were still voting in the state.

For Republicans, Iowa has not been a barometer of national support. In the last three Iowa caucuses, in 2008, 2012 and 2016, none of the party's winners went on to become the Republican nominee..

This is due to the profile of the state's electorate, which is 90% white and overwhelmingly conservative. A large percentage of Republicans belong to the evangelical Christian community tend to support the most socially conservative candidate.

However, for more than 50 years, The Iowa caucuses are the official opening of a complex election calendar that defines the president of the world's largest power..

So, on Monday, politicians and the North American press will follow the prevailing polls, despite a blizzard and a forecast. Temperatures can reach -25ºC. Low temperature Can even affect results – Analysts estimate that mobility issues could reduce voter turnout, giving Donald Trump, the favorite in the state, fewer votes. A majority of white people and Republican voters.

• Caucuses are, in effect, hundreds of smaller gatherings held in 1,700 schools and public spaces across the state. Party workers participate in it.
• Since elections are not held directly in the United States, the Voting for the President is done by delegates He was elected in caucuses and primaries by these votes.
• First, a discussion is held, and those who participate must be present from the beginning to the end of the meeting.
• Delegates representing each candidate may discuss other internal party topics and make speeches for or against the pre-candidates.
• At the end of the debate and speeches, a vote takes place. On paper ballots, in writing – There is no predefined list of candidates.
• Each voter votes for the delegates who represent their preferred pre-nominee in the White House – and these delegates then go to the Republican convention to vote on who they will represent.

Some experts and voters in the United States criticize the process, arguing that it is an overarching and less accessible system.Voters wishing to vote should arrive at the beginning of the debate and stay until the end.

This model was used in many states, little by little, and it proved ineffective. Currently, there is also the United States The only country in the world It adopts caucus as one of the ways to select a candidate.

• Donald Trump. The former US president is a defendant in four separate criminal cases, but Republicans still like him — 61% of the party's electorate is expected to vote for Trump.
• Ron DeSantis is the current governor of the state of Florida. DeSantis positions himself to the right of Trump on social issues, but has struggled to gain prominence.
• Vivek Ramasamy is a former biotech investor and executive. He founded an organization to pressure companies to abandon environmental, social and corporate governance initiatives.
• Chris Christie was an adviser to Trump's 2020 White House campaign, but became an opponent of the former president.
• Asa Hutchinson is a former governor of the state of Arkansas.