NEVADA CAUCUS: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: WHAT'S A CAUCUS? HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM A PRIMARY?

A: A primary is an election: You go to a polling place and vote by secret ballot. You can go whenever you want on Election Day or even during the early voting period, or vote by absentee ballot. A caucus is a neighborhood meeting. You have to be at your caucus site at a certain time on Jan. 19, and there is no early or absentee voting. The idea behind a caucus is to have a conversation among neighbors.

Q: WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL ABOUT THE NEVADA CAUCUSES, ANYWAY?

A: In past elections, Nevada Democrats and Republicans basically didn't get any say in who their respective parties would pick to run for president because they didn't hold party conventions until the nominees were nearly a foregone conclusion. In 2004, by the time Nevada Democrats caucused on Feb. 14, most of the competition to Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., had dropped out. Kerry was named the presumptive Democratic nominee on March 11. (The Republican nomination was not contested because the party had an unchallenged incumbent president.) The primary candidates spent most of their time campaigning in the first states to vote, chiefly Iowa and New Hampshire. The results in those states were closely watched and changed the dynamic of the race.

Now that both parties' Nevada caucuses are scheduled for Jan. 19, Nevada will be among the first few states to weigh in, and officials in the state hope to have more influence on the process as a result. Especially for the Democrats, this means the candidates have spent unprecedented amounts of time and money courting Nevada voters.

Q: HOW WILL I KNOW WHERE TO GO?

A: The political party with which you are registered will send you a card about a month before the caucuses telling you your caucus site. You also can consult the parties' Web sites.

Q: WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE DEMOCRATIC AND REPUBLICAN CAUCUSES?

A: There are several differences. The caucuses start at different times of day, 9 a.m. for the GOP, 11:30 a.m. for the Democrats. Democrats allow same-day registration. You must have been a registered Republican for at least 30 days to participate in the GOP caucuses. The caucuses are both delegate elections, but they are structured differently, with Democrats measuring candidates' support based on a delegate count while Republicans conduct a secret-ballot straw poll after electing delegates.

Q: IS IT TRUE THAT 17-YEAR-OLDS CAN PARTICIPATE?

A: If you will be 18 by Election Day (Nov. 4), you can register to vote with the Nevada secretary of state and participate in either party's nominating caucuses.

Q: WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO IN ADVANCE?

A: Find out your caucus site. If you're a Republican, register 30 days in advance.

Q: IF CAUCUS-GOERS ARE TECHNICALLY ELECTING DELEGATES, WHAT DO THOSE DELEGATES DO?

A: The delegates elected at the precinct-level caucuses go to their party's county conventions. There, they elect delegates to the state conventions. At those conventions, delegates to the national conventions are elected. It's like a big pyramid.

Q: DO THE DELEGATES AT EACH STAGE HAVE TO SUPPORT THE CANDIDATE THEY SAID THEY WOULD WHEN THEY CAMPAIGNED TO BE A DELEGATE?

A: No, they can change their minds. You might have voted for a delegate because she supported Candidate X, but that delegate could go to the next convention and vote for Candidate Y. That's why the caucuses are "nonbinding."

Q: I'M STILL CONFUSED. HOW CAN I LEARN MORE?

A: Both parties have mock caucuses that you can attend to practice caucusing and find out how to get more involved.

REVIEW-JOURNAL