Caucus to Convention

The basics of caucus

Where:  Usually held in a neighborhood school, library, or church.  

When: Typically first Tuesday in February.

Who can attend:  Any registered voter who lives in that precinct and is willing to sign a statement supporting the Republican Party.

How many people show up:  Anywhere from 3 to 300, but in most precincts it’s under 30. Many precincts have 0 attendees and automatically default.

What happens at precinct caucus?

1. Elect a chair and secretary - for the meeting (and often a permanent precinct chair/committeeperson for the next 2 years).

2. Elect delegates - (and alternates) to the next level up—usually the county or district convention. 

   NOTE - Delegates serve for a 2 year period and are part of the party, they have the ability to elect party leadership during odd year conventions. Delegates are a critical component of an informed electorate.

3. Vote on resolutions - issues or ideas that can become part of the county, state, and sometimes national party platform.

Why?  It’s the starting point of the whole process.  Those delegates you elect go to the county convention → elect delegates to the congressional and state convention → elect delegates to the national convention (where presidential nominees are officially chosen and the platform is finalized).  

In short: The people who show up at these tiny precinct meetings ultimately decide who represents the party at every higher level.

Bottom line:  A precinct caucus is the "grassroots entry point" where ordinary voters—not donors, not insiders—can walk in and directly influence who runs the party, what it stands for, and who gets nominated, often with just a handful of neighbors.