So what is a caucus?

On Thursday, January 3, 2008, tens of thousands of Iowans will assemble in schools, community centers, and living rooms to caucus for presidential candidates. This is the first step in determining who will be the next President of the United States. With your help, we can make sure that our 44th President is BILL RICHARDSON!

At 6:30PM on January 3, the doors will swing open in 1,781 precinct caucus locations across the State of Iowa. At your caucus location, you'll be asked to sign in with your name -- and to indicate who you plan on caucusing for. Proudly declare that you're caucusing for Bill Richardson. If you're not a registered Democrat, you can still caucus! Just fill out a registration form at the door -- it only takes a minute or so.

After you sign in, our Richardson Precinct Captain will greet you and direct you to the Richardson area." Everyone will move towards an area of the room designated for their candidate. Not only will Richardson's area have signs...someone will probably have brought delicious treats to share with you!

Once everyone is signed in, the caucus will begin. The Caucus Chair will read letters from various public officials and discuss a number of administrative matters. Then, the real fun begins...

In order to receive "delegates" -- critical to picking a President -- a candidate must have a certain percentage of the people in the room. This is known as "becoming viable." In most precincts, a candidate will need 15% of caucus-goers. The caucus chair will announce who is viable and who is not. They will then ask everyone to "realign."

What does it mean to realign? Everyone in the room will have up to 30 minutes to think it over. They can change their candidates, or form a group of people which does not commit to a candidate. Look to your Richardson Precinct Captain for advice. Perhaps a friend of yours is supporting another candidate who will not receive delegates. Ask them to join you in supporting Bill Richardson.

After everyone has realigned, the caucus chair will announce who has won delegates and how many. This process will occur in each of the state's 1,781 precincts. By helping Governor Richardson win delegates in your caucus, you've done your country an enormous service -- and moved America along the path to better leadership!

• Remember: Doors close at 7:00PM sharp. Try to get to your caucus location early!
• Don't forget to wear your Richardson sticker or button to the caucus!
• Please let us know if you need assistance getting to the caucus.