• Voting is one procedure of many caucuses.vote america image by Pix by Marti from Fotolia.com
  
  Due to heavy media coverage, the Iowa Precinct Caucus has become the best-known caucus procedure in the United States. It is what the Communication Research Center of the University of Northern Iowa calls "the first-in-the-nation nominating event for the Presidency." In addition to Iowa, more than a dozen states use the caucus system; a few states use both procedures. A political caucus may choose delegates who in turn choose candidates, or a caucus may directly select the candidates. However, according to William Harris of Middlebury College, how a candidate fairs in a caucus is no indicator of success, or failure, in party elections.
  
  

Choosing Candidates

• A voting precinct is the smallest political division or electoral district in the U.S. At the local precinct caucus level, residents meet to discuss and choose between eligible political candidates and set local party policies. In some instances, such as in the Iowa system, only registered voters can choose among candidates and vote directly. Some caucuses choose which candidates to put on a ballot from which registered voters will then choose. For example, in Wisconsin's caucus system, qualified electors are allowed to nominate and vote for municipal candidates, with any U.S. citizen who has been a resident of the area for "at least 10 days" and of legal age qualifying as an elector.
  
  

Choosing Delegates

• Registered voters at the precinct level are eligible to choose delegates to represent their interests at the higher level political conventions, such as county (or district), state and national. For example, there are approximately 2000 caucus precincts in Iowa; procedures include voters indicating their preference for individual candidates by direct vote and selecting delegates to represent their preferences at the county level, who in turn will help select the state delegates, who in turn choose national level representatives.
  
  

Discussing Party Policies

• Democratic members in the United States Congress hold closed-door caucus meetings at the national level. The Republican parallels are "party conferences." Both houses of Congress participate in caucuses for their respective chamber. The House Democratic Caucus and the Senate Republican Conference are two examples. As part of the procedures of these particular caucuses, party members choose committee chairs, elect officers, discuss agendas based on policy and layout plans to accomplish the agenda items.
  
  

Promoting Special Interests

• Certain caucuses form within larger political groups to maintain and promote special interest and specific policies within the larger group. The Congressional Black Caucus is a bipartisan group made up of African-American members of the U.S. Congress who work together to promote issues of special interest to black Americans.