The Democratic and Republican Iowa Caucuses will take place at 7 p.m. Monday at individual precinct locations in all 99 counties.

Who can caucus

Those wishing to caucus must meet the following requirements:

Must be eligible to vote in the state of Iowa

• Will be 18 years old by Nov. 5, meaning those turning 18 between the date of the caucuses and the general election will be able to caucus
• Must be registered as a Republican to participate in the Republican caucus or as a Democrat to participate in the Democratic caucus
• Those registered as a Democrat or Republican may switch their registration to the other party on caucus night in order to participate
• Those registered under a third party or no party can change registration to Republican or Democrat on caucus night in order to participate. (Ex. Someone who is registered as a Republican may participate in the Democratic primary election by changing their political affiliation to Democratic on the day the primary election is held, and vice versa.)

When to arrive

Both Republican and Democratic caucuses begin at 7 p.m. State parties advise caucusgoers to arrive early to ensure proper registration. Doors generally open at 5 p.m.

What to bring

All caucuses require a valid form of ID, which includes:

• Iowa Voter Identification Card
• Iowa Driver’s License
• Iowa Non-Operator ID
• U.S. Military ID or Veteran ID
• U.S. Passport
• Tribal ID Card/Document

All caucusgoers not registered with the party they wish to caucus with will also need to provide proof of address in addition to a valid form of ID. Those include residential leases, utility bills, bank statements, paychecks, government checks, property tax statements and other government documents.

If planning to register on caucus night, bring a valid ID and proof of residency. If recently registered, bring these items in case the caucus site doesn’t have updated information.

Where to caucus

Iowans can enter their home address on the Iowa Secretary of State’s website to find their precinct. The site shows the name of each precinct and polling location for primary and general elections, which may be a different place than the caucus location.

Precinct locations were announced Dec. 8 for the 2024 Republican presidential caucus. Republican caucusgoers can search for their precinct on the Iowa GOP website, which also includes information on requirements for caucus participation.

Precinct locations were announced Dec. 15 for the 2024 Democratic caucus. Democratic caucusgoers can find Iowa caucus locations by county here and all Story County precincts will caucus at the Ames High School gym.

According to the Associated Press, both the state Republican and Democratic parties will hold caucuses on Jan. 15, but only the Republican event will have an immediate, binding impact on the presidential race. Democratic caucuses will be held only to conduct administrative party business and to begin choosing delegates for national conventions.

How to caucus as a Republican

Iowans must be registered Republican voters to caucus for the GOP presidential nomination, and Iowans not registered to vote or not affiliated with the Republican Party may still register on caucus night by bringing a valid form of identification and proof of residence.

Those already registered Republicans do not need to show a proof of residence, but still must provide voter ID to participate.

How to caucus as a Democrat

For Iowa Democrats wanting to participate in the presidential nominating process, caucusgoers can mail a presidential preference card, with results to be released March 5.  Democrats can request to receive a presidential preference card on the Iowa Democratic Party website, with a deadline to submit a request for the card on Feb. 19. Printed request forms will also be available at our upcoming events, as stated in an email from the Story County Democrats

Impact

The 2024 Democratic caucuses will have no bearing on the presidential race. Iowa Republican voters will designate picks for the Republican presidential nominee, with the results of that vote determining how many of the state’s 40 convention delegates each candidate will receive.

Iowa’s first-in-the-nation placement in the presidential campaign calendar means caucus results can give a disproportionate boost to the winners and to those who perform strongly.

How do I find results

Caucuses will be covered live, with results posted on caucus sites state-wide. The Iowa State Daily will post coverage and results for the Iowa Republican Presidential Caucus Jan. 15 after 7 p.m.