First-time caucusgoers in Ames filed into voting locations in droves, so much so that one caucus location in Ames had to move people outside.

The Republican caucus at St. John’s Episcopal Church in the Ames 4-1 precinct, which included most of the residents of Campustown, was expected to have only about 150 voters. A total of 524 voters cast their vote. Hundreds of voters were forced to move outside because of overcrowding, filling the parking lot behind the church.

Students had different reasons for getting involved in the first caucus they were of age to vote in.

“This is my first time caucusing,” said Quinn Jamrok, sophomore in mathematics. “I’m here because I don’t like how the country is run. I’m here to vote for a change, which is why I’m caucusing for Donald Trump. I like how he wants to run the economy, because then companies can grow and create new jobs.”

Statewide, Republican turnout was pushing 180,000, which is a significant increase from 2012, when just over 121,000 turned out.

“That’s like 50 percent more than [the 2012 Republican caucus] mark,” said Mack Shelley, university professor of political science. “That way exceeds what the Republicans have seen before.”

Shelley attended a Democratic caucus in east Ames, where he said Sanders easily had the most supporters. Just over 300 turned out at his caucus, which was more than he said turned out at the last Democratic caucus there in 2008.

Voters also had specific reasons for voting for the candidate of their choice, such as Kay Owen, an Ames resident who voted for Donald Trump at St. John’s. Owen said she has participated in the caucuses several times and does so because she said it is important to have a voice in the government. Owen said she voted for Trump because she likes that he is “not afraid to say what he thinks.”

Though Ted Cruz won the Republican caucuses in Iowa, Marco Rubio came in first with 321 votes for caucusgoers at St. John’s. Rand Paul and Donald Trump tied for second at that location with 54 votes.

“This is my first time at the caucus,” said Taylor Rice, junior in agricultural business. “I wanted to participate because I have been taking political science classes, and I’ve also had family that is very involved in politics and I wanted to see what it is like. I’m caucusing for Marco Rubio because he is the candidate that can connect the best with Americans. He didn’t get raised with money and had to work his way up to the top like most Americans today.”

Students had various reasons for voting for Rubio, but one thing remained the same: Ames residents and students alike wanted to get involved in their first caucuses.

Caucus sites at the Memorial Union, Scheman Building, Ames Middle School and Hansen Agriculture Student Learning Center in Ames also had high turnout, according to Daily reporters and caucus attendees.

Iowa State’s Memorial Union, which housed several precinct’s Republican and Democratic caucus locations, saw first-time caucusgoers vote for Republican and Democratic candidates for reasons ranging from their platforms to the candidates’ probability of winning.

“I wanted to initially support O’Malley or Bernie,” said Matthew Coyle, senior in chemical engineering. “Since O’Malley was unviable, I went over to Bernie’s side.”

Coyle’s first time caucusing was “very confusing, messy and long.”

“That may be due to the increased voter turnout, though,” Coyle said.

Though students are typically cast as politically agnostic and inactive, the hundreds of first-time voters showed that students wanted to take part in this year’s unique election cycle.

“This is my first time caucusing,” said Harry Daubitz, sophomore in history. “I’m here because it’s my basic right to have a voice and an opinion on who is the next president, and I also think the caucuses are great publicity for the state of Iowa.”

Reporters Makayla Tendall, Varad Diwate and Paige Korver contributed to this story.