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*Clearing up the Iowa Delegate Misconception*

Submitted by JTTC on Wed, 01/04/2012 - 13:25
in

Ok I'm writing this so that once and for all, people understand what happened with the delegate process last night in Iowa.

It is a tiered system of delegate weeding out.

1) Level One: Precinct level. At each precinct, as many delegates as you want can sign up. Needless to say at the precinct I was at, 70% of them were Ron Paul supporters.

2) Level Two: County level.
3) Level Three: District level.
4) Level Four: State Level.

At the next county and state level, a weeding out process occurs by two things. a) Who wants to pay the fee to go to the next level and b) at some point you start to vote delegates ahead by forming coalitions.

For example, in 08 we joined forces with Huckabee and entirely blocked out McCain delegates.

5) Level Five: Republican National Convention.

When people say "delegates" this is what we are ACTUALLY talking about. At the state level we decide who gets to go to the RNC. We most likely won't get all the delegates, but I predict we will get way more than any other candidate. It will be MONTHS before we find any of this other stuff out, however because the county delegate meeting is in March.

So in summary: No delegates to the RNC were decided last night. Only delegates at the precinct level volunteered to work their way up the food chain to try go to the RNC, or to try get their buddies to go to the RNC. It is wedding caked shaped where the delegate number gets smaller and smaller until only the RNC delegates remain.


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doesn't sound good

Submitted by JTWilliams on Mon, 01/23/2012 - 06:31.

so your vote means nothing, in effect. even if Ron Paul won with 50% of the vote in Iowa, we all know the Iowa GOP would totally dismiss the people's will? this sounds to me like a system set up to protect the establishment at all costs- the crooks!

Don't tell me "there just 7 delegates"- that's hours and hours of hard work and grassroots organization, and campaign donations. Even a few delegates are hard earned! I certainly hope the campaign is keeping an eye on these developments. I know many activists were livid in 2008 with the casual manner in which the campaign dealt with serious BS!

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Question - are Iowa state party officials taking all delegates

Submitted by Steve-from-Pasa... on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 17:30.

away from Ron Paul and dividing them among Santorum and Romney?

http://obambi.wordpress.com/2012/01/22/ron-paul-delegates-fr...

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Indeed, what is there that does not appear marvelous when it comes to our knowledge for the first time? How many things, too, are looked upon as quite impossible until they have been actually effected? - Pliny the Elder

Dog and pony show?

Submitted by Johannes on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 14:30.

So then from my perspective, outside the state, it was just a media show!
The real winner will be decided much latter on!
Is this the republican version of the democratic process?!
Funny yet interesting!

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A visual

Submitted by tony m on Sat, 01/07/2012 - 07:04.

is the really best way for people to learn from.

Flowchart?

Is this possible?

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Why

Submitted by maunderingcabal on Sat, 01/07/2012 - 06:55.

Why is this so damn confusing? Maybe I'm dumb.

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That's funny

Submitted by Epicurean Helvetic on Sat, 01/07/2012 - 16:22.

Got a laugh out of me.

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Similar in Minnesota, Colorado, Washington, Maine, ...

Submitted by valleyforge on Wed, 01/04/2012 - 22:35.

The multi-tiered delegate selection process is typical of caucus states, with delegates not bound by the caucus presidential preference vote. One important exception is Nevada, which proportionally allocates and binds the national delegates based on the popular vote in the caucus.

The caucus states collectively have about 500 delegates at stake, and Paul can win a majority of them if we organize well. This is clearly a major part of the campaign's strategy.

Here are the caucus states:

2/4 Nevada
2/4 - 2/11 Maine
2/7 Colorado, Minnesota
3/3 Washington
3/6 Alaska, Idaho, North Dakota
3/6 - 3/10 Wyoming
3/10 Kansas
3/13 Hawaii
3/17 Missouri

All the outlying terroritories hold caucuses in Feb/March as well.

Louisiana as well. Caucuses tentatively Jan 24th.

Submitted by samadamscw on Thu, 01/05/2012 - 00:12.

Beauty contest on March 24th.

NYT explains that it is the

Submitted by jb23 on Wed, 01/04/2012 - 20:26.

NYT explains that it is the Associated Press that is reporting the fake Romney/Santorum delegate counts: http://elections.nytimes.com/2012/primaries/states/iowa?ref=...

Delegate counts are from The Associated Press. While the Iowa caucuses are nonbinding, The A.P. provides estimates for 25 of the 28 delegates based on vote totals. The other three are unpledged party leaders.

Pretty much confirming what

Submitted by jb23 on Wed, 01/04/2012 - 20:13.

Pretty much confirming what you've said: http://www.p2012.org/chrniowa/iowagopdelegatesel.html

Question,

Submitted by jeffreylayne on Wed, 01/04/2012 - 19:27.

Does a delegate have to vote for the candidate that they are representing?
I ask not to devise an unethical plan to infiltrate the other candidates' delegates, but because if this is possible, it would be nice to be able to do something to protect us from it...

—

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Not in Iowa.

Submitted by dabooda on Wed, 01/04/2012 - 20:21.

The results of the caucuses are non-binding on the delegates in Iowa. Other states have different rules. In most states, especially those with primary elections, the delegates are bound to vote for a particular candidate on the first (and sometimes the second) ballot in the national convention. After that, they can vote as they please. But Iowa delegates can vote as they like, even on the first ballot. Source here.

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One small correction.

Submitted by spacehabitats on Wed, 01/04/2012 - 18:17.

No weeding takes place at the district convention.
ALL of the delegates who are elected to go to the District (from their county) will be eligible to go to the State convention.

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******************************
Keep the Iowa Caucuses "First in the Nation"!

That makes sense

Submitted by iowamichelle on Wed, 01/04/2012 - 21:26.

because I remember going to both the district and state conventions, and it was me and the same other guy (one guy who went to the county convention with us didn't go to the others). But what about the voting that took place at the district convention, where we picked David Fischer? What was that for, I can't remember.

thanks

Submitted by JTTC on Wed, 01/04/2012 - 18:28.

I edited it.

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Pottawattamie County Iowa

"Capitalism should not be condemned, since we haven't had capitalism." -Dr. Ron Paul

We had 7

Submitted by Baug on Wed, 01/04/2012 - 17:54.

Our precinct got 7 delegates signed up.

4 were Paul supporters
2 were Romney supporters
1 was a Santorum supporter

It sounds like that was pretty typical across the board.

Last night I saw Urbania?(sp)

Submitted by Ricky on Wed, 01/04/2012 - 17:52.

After the count the head guy said after the votes were counted there...santorum finished 1st and gets 3 delegates
romney finished 2nd and gets 2 deligates
PAUL finished 3rd and gets 1 deligates

and then they proceeded to pick deligates.

rules

Submitted by RiverRun on Wed, 01/04/2012 - 20:36.

This is why it is useful to know the rules. It is also useful to be the precinct chair, so you run the meeting and can sometimes do what you like - if you are not challenged to follow the rules.

With training and knowledge, an RP person at that precinct should have handled it.

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Thought this was a good short article

Submitted by virginiakid on Wed, 01/04/2012 - 17:08.

The title of the article is How Ron Paul Outplayed Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum. on Iowa.
http://www.economicpolicyjournal.com/2012/01/how-ron-paul-ou...

I'm confused, but that's all right . . .

Submitted by 1988vote on Wed, 01/04/2012 - 16:58.

I usually am; things were simpler when I worked in campaigns decades ago--

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it's hard to be awake; it's easier to dream--

So let me see if I understand correctly

Submitted by poq on Wed, 01/04/2012 - 16:41.

The popular vote means little to nothing officially? And the eventual delegates can decide to support whomever they want? Or are they bound to certain candidates based off the popular vote?

The popular vote is still really important though,

Submitted by iowamichelle on Wed, 01/04/2012 - 21:30.

especially for someone like Ron Paul, who people think can never be elected. It would propel him forward in other states. But really, yes, you're correct, it's just a straw poll.

Yep, the vote you saw was

Submitted by jb23 on Wed, 01/04/2012 - 18:19.

Yep, the vote you saw was non-binding. If it was in fact binding, then the percentage of delegates would need to reflect the vote, I believe.

In MO, we are going to have a

Submitted by Unforgivable on Wed, 01/04/2012 - 17:02.

In MO, we are going to have a primary in February, however this is a non delegate binding primary. In march there will be caucuses held that will start the delegate process. I think it is kind of strange, but that is how it works. Non-binding primary and then the caucus.

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If I understand correctly,

Submitted by mrdeleted on Wed, 01/04/2012 - 16:52.

If I understand correctly, yes, the votes are non-binding. The delegates are what really matter.

That's correct

Submitted by sobrdup on Wed, 01/04/2012 - 16:55.

As I understand it the popular vote is just a straw vote, because the Iowa Republican caucuses are non-binding. Read this:

http://www.businessinsider.com/ron-paul-winner-iowa-caucuses...

Keep in mind states are different, but for Iowa I believe the Paul movement will have many of the state's delegates.

What we did lose is the bragging rights to demand the media take us seriously, which a 1st place win would have helped give. However, finishing in the top 3 does help that some too...

this is how they do it in Missouri as well

Submitted by joeinmo on Wed, 01/04/2012 - 16:37.

Just remember to get past those GOP convention dirty tricks

Contact your local Ron Paul Campaign leadership.

Submitted by Rickels on Wed, 01/04/2012 - 16:05.

What happens in Iowa will not change things even if you worry about it. It sounds like the local RP supporters have a handle on it. You could better expend your efforts at making phone calls or learning about process in your state.

Our process in Georgia is a little different as we have Primaries. It is still of extreme importance to learn your local rules and push towards the goal of becoming a delegate. I can't emphasize that enough.

then when you look at things

Submitted by 4.liberty on Wed, 01/04/2012 - 15:52.

then when you look at things like this http://utahpulse.com/bookmark/16962773-Understanding-How-GOP...

it makes even less sense, this is gonna take me a few days to figure out i think.