When you arrive at the Harris Center, you will see a series of registration tables organized by alphabet. If you are already registered, go to the table where your name would be. You can register at the event. All must sign their name pledging to be a loyal Democrat.
Before 7 p.m. there will be various nominating petitions for those running for county office and for Leonard Boswell, current Congressional representative. Around 6:30 p.m. Poweshiek Democratic Chair Don Smith will call the caucus to order, taking care of any business besides presidential preferences.
At 7 p.m. all doors will close and the meeting will elect its chair. As Diagram 1 shows, during this period, the total number in attendance will be announced and each candidate preference group will know how many people they need to reach 15 percent of the total attendance.
Diagram 2 represents the first meeting, in which each candidate's supporters gather together and see if they meet the 15 percent threshold.
Then comes the realignment phase, as shown in Diagram 3, in which individuals may decide to change their preference. Those whose candidates did not meet the threshold may decide to create an uncommitted group, whose delegates can decide to withold their preference until the county convention. Others may lend their support to a candidate already meeting the threshold.
Each candidate's group will get a proportionate percentage of the 37 total delegates from Ward 1, who will represent the ward at the Poweshiek County Convention.
At the end, the caucus will come together to apportion and approve all delegates, so they can go on to the county convention. (As shown in Diagram 4.)
But, as Smith says, "If at any time you're puzzled or in doubt, ask somebody who seems to know ... ask me."
