Caucuses can be confusing, especially for many ISU students who have never before been eligible to participate.

Richard Herrick, graduate student in civil and construction engineering, said he doesn’t understand how caucuses work.

“I don’t really know much about it, and I really don’t know where they are at,” Herrick said.

Herrick said he would probably support Gore if he were to participate in tonight’s caucuses.

“I think in the future when I have a little more time, I will definitely do that sort of thing,” he said.

Arren Mund, freshman in computer science, won’t be participating in the caucuses either. Mund said he’s disillusioned with politics and isn’t interested in any of the candidates.

“Politics has never been my greatest thing,” he said. “It’s a bunch of mumbo jumbo.”

However, Paul Coates, associate professor of political science, said it is important for students to participate in the caucuses.

“I think the main thing is that you have to go and experience them so even if you are a little bit nervous, the only way you are going to get past it is to go,” Coates said.

In order to participate in the caucus, one must be a registered Democrat or Republican, but registration can be done at the precinct location, said Jim Hutter, associate professor of political science.

“This is a party activity,” said Hutter, who is also the temporary chairman of Ames precinct 1-1. “To participate, you don’t have to know anything more than you would like to show up and you are willing to participate.”

Even students who are registered at home can still participate in Ames, Hutter said.

Coates said caucuses accomplish more than just selecting a candidate to support.

“Obviously, the media attention is on the race for the president, but the caucus is really more than just a place for the candidates to test their support,” he said. “It’s also a process to develop a party platform.”

There are slight differences between the Republican and Democratic caucuses, Hutter said. Republicans vote for their preferred candidate using a straw poll, while Democrats stand in favor of a particular candidate.

Also, in a Democratic caucus, candidates must receive 15 percent of the support in order to be counted, and party members can vote as being uncommitted.

The caucuses will begin tonight at 7, and Hutter said students can expect the process to last about two hours.