New Yorker Culture Shock at the Iowa Caucuses

I'm a born-and-raised New Yorker. I don't make eye contact with strangers as I walk down the street. I lived in the same apartment building for decades, and couldn't tell you my neighbor's names. And when it came to voting, I'd usually cast an absentee ballot, in the privacy of my own home, and then refuse to disclose my vote to even my closest friends (and never to my parents).

This year, for reasons unfathomable to many of my city-slicker friends, I left New York City and moved to Iowa City. And all of a sudden, my life has become public. Folks stop and say hi to me on the street, my neighbors organized a block party to welcome us, and tonight I'm going to stand in the cafeteria of a local high school, raise my hand and be counted in the Iowa Caucuses.

Leaving the world's capital for...fly-over country? Yeah, that was supposed to be a culture shock. I didn't know how to drive before we moved here in June. But it's the public nature of voting here in Iowa that has me reeling: Everyone will see who I vote for tonight. What if my neighbors don't like me anymore because I'm not on their team? I probably should put on some makeup in case the TV cameras show up, but what will my Mom say if she sees me on CNN supporting someone she hates?

Public voting makes me uncomfortable. I like the freedom to flap my left wing with my Democratic friends and my right wing with my Republican buddies. In previous elections I've been a people-pleaser: Once I figure out what side you're on, I'll discuss the pros and cons with you, and never take a position myself.

But here in Iowa, you can't do that. On caucus night, Iowans must first declare whether they are Republicans or Democrats, and sign in with their party. Then, Iowans physically stand with others who support their candidate. Privacy be damned: In this town, you vote with your feet, and everyone knows about it.

This encourages voters to get caught up in the groundswell of opinions on their block, in their neighborhood. If everyone on your street is voting for Mike Huckabee, and you're voting for Ron Paul, people will know. Will they talk? And do you feel pressure to change your vote because of that peer pressure?

Caucuses have a long history in Iowa, dating back to the early 1800s, even before Iowa became a state. In fact, the Larrabee, Iowa caucus precinct was in my mother-in-law's living room in the 1970s: Six other farmers would come by to chat with her Dad, and that would be that.
Tonight in Iowa City, we're going to gather alongside our neighbors in school gymnasiums and public buildings. On the Republican side, voters nominate a candidate via a straw vote of those attending. The Democrats vote by getting into groups under a banner for their candidate, or by a show of hands. The group elects delegates and those delegates all come together on a statewide level to be counted. The rest of the details of how the night will unfold are confusing enough for the Democratic party to compile a 13-page instructional booklet, and I won't go into them here, because, honestly, I don't understand the rules, and neither does anyone else I know.

What I do know is that people like me who fear confrontation must go into caucus night with their mind's made up. Because if you are undecided, you'll have perfect strangers up in your grill all night long, trying to lure you over to one corner or another.

I find this terrifying. High-school cafeterias have enough bad memories associated with them. But several friends of mine say they'll hold out as undecideds for as long as possible just to learn more about each candidate's views. These are the real Iowans, I guess.

Of course, all this up-close-and-personal attention from the politicians is kinda fun. I left the "star-sighting" mecca of downtown Manhattan, but a recent lunch at a local hamburger joint was a-flash with cameras and news crews because Mitt Romney wanted a burger, too, and my afternoon coffee break yesterday was an opportunity to chat with John Edwards while reporters pushed in to listen to his last-minute pitch for my vote.

So maybe I'm not as shy as I thought. C'mon Iowa, show this New Yorker what you got.

Follow Christine Whelan on Twitter: www.twitter.com/christinewhelan

Comments

[Glinda]

This is the kind of stereotype of a New Yorker that makes me verklempt.

[aphid]

I was born in Iowa City and I try not to be biased but I do think it's one of the coolest cities in the Midwest, especially for progressives...

Your fellow caucus-goers will not judge you for your vote, they will respect you for taking part in the process like they did.

[whatsthatsound]

You'll be fine. I'm from Ohio, and have relatives in Iowa. My relatives are mostly progressive (my generation) or New Deal Democrats (my parents' generation), but uncles, in-laws, etc. run the gamut from Rush dittoheads to libertarians. Everybody's cool with everybody else. There are more things in life than politics. That's the Midwest. People get more rabid over football rivalries than political ones.

[IntrepidReader]

If the process is so delightful, why do most Iowans avoid it?

[DennisTheMenace]

I just got some information that only Democrats do the open vote procedure. The Repugnicans do a secret ballot which makes their "caucus" really a primary. I'm sure not surprized that the R's would do one thing and call it another or that they would foster secrecy at every opportunity, but could someone verify this?

[sparkandy]

i've never been to iowa, but, except for snow, i know i'd like it. congrats on your move. take aeep breath of the clean air, spread your wings, and enjoy!

[AnotherIADem]

Christine: Welcome to Iowa! I bet you will find the caucus to be fun and just as friendly as a block party.

[mommadona]

Well, well, well....

Welcome to Iowa!
Where everyone knows your name,
and everyone knows your game.

Where, if you don't like the weather,
stick around for 15 minutes...it's change.

Where, if you live there for 25 years after moving in from out of state, you are still introduced as "the newcomers"...

Where weather is king.
Pubahs don't mean a thing
when it comes down to clearing the sidewalk.

Welcome!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=jbhnRuJBHLs

[MO-Mike]

Christine, I felt a bit the same way 20 years ago at my first caucus in Iowa City. Close to 300 students packed into the chemistry lecture hall, and at the end of the night, our room was a pair of two ways ties, Simon and Jackson splitting about 60%, with Gephardt and Dukakis splitting the other 40%. I started for Babbitt and when he wasn't viable EVERYONE came up to shop the 7 of us in the corner.

You may not know what to expect, but there's a reason Bloom County called it "Raucous Caucusing!" The writer used to live in Iowa City, and it's a lot of fun.

[wildflowermaven]

I like the idea of public voting, seems Iowans really think about the candidates and issues and probably discuss them more than the average American. And having someone try to persuade you to change your vote means you have to really know why you believe in a candidate. I grew up in Chicago, but lived for several years in a small town. I agree w other posters here, people in small towns are less likely to reject you based on some differences, although they will of course talk about your every move.

This process (presidential primary) has high stakes, I think we would benefit by more caucuses and less secret voting --especially when those electronic machines w no paper trail are used.

[palealien]

If we could be counted this way in all major elections, (logistical nightmare be damned) would we not then be truly electing the choice of the people? We should settle for nothing less. Perhaps one day when our personal digital identities are secure - short of an implant- this could actually happen.

Of course, considering the apathy and ennui of the average American; probably not.

[smokepole]

LOL, drkazmd65! People are not worried what their neighbors will think, people are worried about what their union leader, employer, clients, customers, pastor/priest, etc think. What if my top client is advocating for one candidate and sees me in line for another, there is a possibility of losing that client. What if the local teacher’s union rep supports Clinton and sees me in line for Edwards. Will the union hassle me later? Unions have been known to retaliate against members that are known to vote against the union directive. Voting with your feet in just encourages peer pressure and is not a good way to select a leader.
What is funny is that the Republican caucus is conducted by a secret straw ballot and the Democrats can’t manage a democratic selection in their own party.

[ruchild]

Don't worry about what the neighbors think, they just care that you think at all out here, especially in Iowa City. Stand up for who you support, no one will get nasty with you for it, it's a party, not an execution have some fun with it. Oh and wear comfortable shoes.

[cblcar]

Christine, let me start "brow-beating" you right now. Vote for Biden. Polls be damned. Most of them are b.s. anyway. If you have the slightest concern about what a dangerous place this world is becoming, you want someone who knows the players and is already respected by them. Joe Biden is the only candidate you can say that about. He's a good, decent, compassionate man with the strength, integrity and leadership experience to get this country back on track. Biden '08.

[SeeDaddy]

Iowans don't consider politics a "blood sport" like some place. They are tolerant of people's than you think. Also, you obviously haven't taken time to understad the caucus process. First, the precinct caucus to see how much support each candidate has. A candidate must have 15% or more of those attending that precinct's party caucus in order to get one or more delegates to the county party caucus. At the county caucus, delegates can continue to support their candidate or switch to another canidate. This where "politic-ing" on local issues takes place. The county caucus elects district caucus delegates to the district party caucus, after reducing the candidates those supported by something like 25% of the county delegates. County delegates atrtend the district cause, and elect delegates to the state party caucus. The state caucuses elect national party conventions committed to the top supported candidates.

The process isn't all that difficult and it gets a lot of average people involved in the
process. My mother, a blue collar worker, was a frequent delegate at the state Democrat caucues for many years, and loved it.

Christine, get involved. Volunteer to be a delegate to the county, district and state caucuses. Observe and learn. I bet you will be surprised about the people you'll see there. Also, your neighbors won't hate you for it. They may respect you for getting involved