• Johnson County Precinct Results
    • Democratic
    • Republican
  • List of Caucus Sites
  • Attendance and Voter Registration

Delegates to the national convention that nominate each party's presidential candidate are elected in a process that begins here in Iowa at the grass-roots caucus level. Each party will conduct caucuses in all of Iowa's precincts, at sites ranging from rooms in public facilities to private homes.

Attendance

Democratic: 18,363
Republican: 3,980
Total: 22, 343

Johnson
County
Voter
Registration
Statistics

Democratic Republican Green* Libertarian* No
Party
Total D% R% G% L% N%
Jan. 2,
2008 - day
before
caucus
36,193 16,092 1 0 30,920 83,206 43.50% 19.34% - - 37.16%
Jan. 16,
2008 - caucus
data entry
completed
40,431 16,710 6 4 27,306 84,457 47.87% 19.79% 0.01% 0.00% 32.33%
Change +4,238 +618 +5 +4 -3,614 +1,251 +4.37% +0.45% - - -4.83%

While other registrations were processed between Jan. 3 and Jan. 16, the overwhelming majority were from the caucuses.

*Jan 1, 2008: first day voters could register as Green or Libertarian.

Dates

Iowa's first in the nation precinct caucuses are conducted by the political parties, not by our office. Both parties held their caucuses on January 3, 2008.

Information on Likely or Announced Candidates

Democratic Candidates (Johnson County Democrats site)

Republican Candidates (Johnson County Republican site)

Less well-known candidates, possible candidates, and candidates of other parties may be found at politics1.com

Disclaimer

Party information                                               
Johnson County Democrats
Phone 337-8683
Chair (2008): Brain Flaherty
Iowa Democratic Party

Johnson County Republicans
Phone 339-8381
Chair (2008): Bill Keettel
Republican Party of Iowa

Past Johnson County Caucus Results (as provided by parties or reported to press)

  • January 19, 2004
  • January 24, 2000
  • February 12, 1996
  • February 10, 1992
  • February 8, 1988
  • February 20, 1984

Note: Republican did not hold preference votes in 2004, 1992, or 1984

Caucus Procedure

In both parties, a caucus participant must be a resident and be at least 19 years old as of November 4, 2008 (born on or before November 4, 1990). Participants must actually attend the caucus in the precinct in which they live - there is no absentee voting. In addition, participants must be registered to vote with the party whose caucus they are attending. Both parties allow participants to register, update their registration, or change party on caucus night. The parties are then responsible for returning the voter registration forms to our office.

Guest may attend the caucus to observe but may not participate. Both parties have youth participation programs for persons who will not be 18 by November 4, 2008; contact the parties for details.

Both parties discuss issues and candidates, choose party precinct officers, and elect delegates to the party's county convention, usually held in March. County conventions elect delegates to congressional district and state conventions, which elect national convention delegates. The national conventions formally nominate the party's presidential candidate.

  • Democratic National Convention, August 25 - 28, Denver.
  • Republican National Convention, September 1 - 4, Minneapolis.

The number of county convention delegates elected from each precinct is determined by each party. based on how many votes the party's candidates for governor and president received in that precinct in the 2004 and 2006 general elections.

The two parties elect their county convention delegates differently.

The Democratic Party elects county convention delegates by presidential preference group, rather than by the whole caucus. At the time delegates are elected, the caucus splits up into preference groups - supporters of each candidate gather in different parts of the room.

A presidential preference group must have at least 15% (called "viability") of the precinct's total number of caucus attendees in order to elect county convention delegates.

Participants are allowed to regroup if their candidate has too few supporters to choose a delegate or if they decide to support another candidate.

More specific details on caucus procedure are at the Iowa Democratic Party's caucus website.

 

The Republican Party conducts a straw poll for President by secret ballot in years when the nomination is contested. (No vote was held in 2004, when President Bush was unopposed for renomination.)

The whole caucus then elects delegates and alternates to the county convention.