Iowa Democrats on Saturday cracked open the door toward allowing voters to participate in future Iowa presidential caucuses by absentee ballot. The Iowa Democratic Party Caucus Review Committee, meeting in Des Moines, discussed preliminary recommendations to the state party leadership to update the caucus process. Among the draft proposals would be to create a new process to allow more people to participate despite work conflicts, disabilities, out-of-state travel or the need for child care. “I think it’s a great way to expand access,” committee member Marcia Nichols of Des Moines said. “I think you are including people who are 24/7 workers, you’re including people who just can’t get to caucuses because of their physical limitation,” she said.
Committee chairman Dave Nagle, a former Iowa congressman from Waterloo, said the absentee ballot was the most significant recommendation toward expanding caucus participation. The committee also discussed draft recommendations regarding the use of technology, expansion of training and other resources, media relations and access for voters with disabilities.
The committee did not include any proposals to simplify the Democratic caucus voting process, which requires voters to make a public choice and eliminates candidates who don’t meet a certain threshold of support. Iowa Republicans nominate candidates through a simple straw vote on a paper ballot.
Full Article: Democrats consider absentee voting for Iowa caucuses.