"Why I'm quitting the Iowa caucuses"

[progressoid]

John Deeth has volunteered for the Johnson County Democrats and been involved in caucus planning since 2004. He was the lead organizer for the Johnson County caucuses in 2016 and 2020. Deeth has also worked in the Johnson County Auditor’s Office since 1997.

I never set out to be The Caucus Organizer for the Johnson County Democrats. The role landed on me by accident in 2004. Nearly every experienced party activist was involved in a presidential campaign, and almost no one was doing the logistics work of finding rooms, recruiting chairs, stuffing packets, and getting training done. The skill set overlapped closely with my job at the county auditor’s office, so I stepped in to help.

Each cycle, my role got bigger and bigger. By 2016 I was seen as the Person In Charge, a role I repeated in 2020 and again in the recent midterm caucuses.

But after a lot of struggling, I’ve decided it’s a role I won’t take on again.

more...https://www.bleedingheartland.com/2022/03/03/why-im-quitting-the-iowa-caucuses/

[riversedge]

1. Really a Must Read for the overcrowding of caucus meetings and the NEED FOR CHANGE.

[madaboutharry]

2. 100% agree!

Most importantly, caucus exclude voters. Students, the elderly, the disabled, single parents, and swing shift workers are among those who are most likely unable to participate. Caucuses are a 20th century idea that no longer works.

The overcrowding is only one of the problems.

[Mawspam2]

3. Change to a mail-in ranked choice primary.

All of the Caucus drama without the Covid, plus more participation by shift workers, elderly shut-ins, youth etc.

[IA8IT]

4. I love a caucus night room full of Democrats . No time for feeding the goose that laid golden eggs

Tons of money has come to Iowa over the years for the Iowa Caucus but the need for speed is pulling the plug and turning off the lights. I hope candidates don't become a scarce as Snowy Owls.

I will not miss endless hours getting ready and training volunteers. I will not miss every bigger better faster more reporting system that never was. I will miss all the young fresh faces working for the candidates. I will miss seeing candidates off camera not talking bullet points and sound bites.

Thank You Dave Nagle and DU Debi


But the caucus ain't dead yet!!

[rurallib]

5. When you've lost Deeth, you have lost the real center of Iowa Dems.

I am with Deeth on this one. Iowa needs a system that includes the whole party. That isn't caucuses.

Sitting in a crowded room just 2 years ago, just as Covid warnings were blasting all over the world, I thought to myself 'enough of this.'