All eyes will be on Iowa as the Iowa caucuses begin the Republican presidential nomination calendar on Monday.
The caucuses, unlike most primaries, are run by state political parties. There is no set list of approved candidates for the Iowa Republican caucuses, so caucusgoers can write whoever they want as a candidate. But most will choose among the current Republican candidates: former President Donald Trump, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and former Arkansas state governor. Governor Asa Hutchinson and entrepreneur Ryan Binkley.
Both the Republican and Democratic parties will hold their caucuses on Monday night, but only the Republicans will vote on their 2024 presidential nominee. Registered Republicans vote on who they want to be president, but registered Democrats meet to conduct party business and do not vote for president.
Former President Donald Trump, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy are vying for the Republican presidential primary nomination. (Getty Images)
Haley is expected to do a great job in the Iowa caucuses despite disappointing media expectations
So how do caucuses work?
The Iowa caucuses have been the first in the nation to vote since the 1970s. Unlike Election Day, caucuses are held at night, so voters typically must be present in person to cast their votes.
Starting at approximately 7 p.m. local time (CST), registered Republican voters will arrive at their respective precincts in 99 counties across the state to sign in, where they will hear short speeches from representatives of each candidate.
Caucus participants then vote on who they want to be president, and the ballots are immediately counted with consideration for caucus participants and campaign representatives.
Donald Trump, Jr. (not pictured), executive vice president of development and acquisitions at the Trump Organization, appears at a table before speaking at a machine shed in Urbandale, Iowa, on Thursday. Campaign signatures signing in support of the president. January 11, 2024. (Al Drago)
House Republicans recognize DeSantis' 'massive surge' in Iowa: 'It's closer than people think'
Results from each precinct are entered by each precinct president into an online system, where they are compiled by Iowa Republican Party officials and reported through the party's official website.
“It's going to be a very accomplished, very sophisticated operation,” Iowa caucus district chairman Steve Scheffler told Fox News' Martha McCallum on Wednesday. “It's that simple.”
“This is very simple. It’s a grassroots effort,” added Randy Weisheit, another chair. “They'll be able to check in, they'll receive a slip of paper, and they'll be able to easily vote their preferences for the presidential candidate. There's also county business going on that we're essentially focused on, electing delegates. Our county party and county party delegates. That’s it.”
Campaign signs for Republican presidential candidates Nikki Haley and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis line the road in front of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, on January 10, 2024. (Chip Somodevilla)
The Republican goal is to avoid the same coverage problems that Iowa Democrats faced during the 2020 Democratic caucuses. At the time, the Iowa Democratic Party did not certify the winner (then-Mayor Pete Buttigieg) until weeks later.
The fiasco prompted Iowa Democrats to make several changes, including demoting the state from No. 1 in the nation to Super Tuesday. As a result, the Iowa Democratic Party will be mailing its presidential nominations, which must be submitted by Super Tuesday, March 5th.
Iowa Republican voters will choose their presidential candidates on Monday, and the results will determine how many of the 40 state convention delegates each candidate receives. Candidates receive delegates to the national convention in direct proportion to their vote share.
Campaign paraphernalia is placed on the table of businessman and Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy during a campaign stop at Chad's Pizza and Restaurant in Grundy Center, Iowa, on January 11, 2024. (Joe Radle)
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The winning candidate in the Iowa caucuses will have an early lead in the delegate race, but it is not always possible to predict who will become the party's nominee. Although Iowa accounts for only 1.6% of the total number of Republican delegates nationally, as it is the first state to vote, the results could have a major impact on the campaign, and the Republican Party's The primary field may be further narrowed down.
The New Hampshire primary will be held just eight days after the caucuses.
Fox News' Paul Steinhauser and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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