Caucus Countdown

Iowans recently went to the polls to cast ballots for local representation on city councils and school boards. In less than two months, Iowans once again have the opportunity to ensure their voice is heard. Instead of a primary, Iowa holds a caucus to determine our selection for each party’s presidential candidate.

Iowa voters will have a lot of issues to weigh when they caucus on Feb. 3. Do you know what your top priorities will be? Where do business issues rank? The Iowa Association of Business and Industry, in partnership with BIPAC, has put together an Iowa Caucus Toolkit to help prepare you and your employees to make an educated decision at caucus time.

Use the Iowa Caucus Toolkit to learn more about the caucuses and help educate your employees on how to participate. Visit www.iavotes.com to see the toolkit for yourself. Some of the top features include:

• Step-by-step guide to participate: Did you know you must be a registered voter with one of the major political parties–Republican or Democrat–to participate? Participating in a caucus can be intimidating, especially for those attending for the first time. The Caucus Toolkit features videos that break down how the process works for both the Democrat and Republican caucuses.
• Engagement tools and ideas: Increasing voter participation and engaging more employees is a priority for ABI. Use our email templates, videos, posters and other free resources to help encourage your employees to participate on Feb. 3.
• Social media: Follow @iavotes on Twitter and Facebook for the latest caucus news and ideas on how to engage your employees in the process.

As we enter the season of Thanksgiving, Iowans should be thankful for the many opportunities we have to help shape the field of presidential candidates for the rest of the nation. Although the advertisements and constant barrage of candidates, media and staff can sometimes seem never-ending, the spotlight on Iowa and the trust the public puts in us to help select the next president of the United States cannot be understated.

Make sure you take advantage of the opportunity Iowans have as a first-in-the-nation state to hear from and evaluate candidates, and make an educated decision on caucus night. The Iowa Caucus Toolkit is an excellent resource to help you and your employees get informed.