cau·cus (kô'kəs)
1. U.S. Politics. a) a meeting of party leaders to select candidates, elect convention delegates, etc.
Last night was my first experience with a caucus system of election. I've voted in two primaries, two governors races, and one presidential election but never before in a caucus system. The sad thing is that although I have been paying attention to everything going on in the election I had to research for 30 minutes the day before the caucus to find out where and how to vote. The caucus was held at City Hall in downtown Wichita. After arriving and finding the end of the line, two blocks from the entrance, I waited in the falling snow and frigid blowing wind to find my way into the building.
After getting in, I found out the line had only begun! I first got in line at 6:30 and didn't leave until 9:00. My "vote" consisted of going to a certain side of the room and getting a sharpie X on my hand and a tally mark on one side.
My overall impression were that there was mass confusion about the process/caucus system (even among the staffers at the event!). My second impression was how sad the bold ignorance of people who chanted and clapped for their candidate but, if you asked them, didn't really know why they supported them at all.
What a weird Super Tuesday in Kansas!
