Idaho will have a presidential caucus in 2024

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — Instead of voting in a presidential primary election, Idaho voters will pick their political party’s nominee for president in a series of presidential nominating caucuses in 2024.

In a caucus, the votes will be counted by and run by the respective political parties, not by state or county election officials like a regular election.

Neither political party has announced its specific caucus locations but under caucus rules, there will be at least one caucus site per county.

Republicans held a caucus in 2012 and Democrats held caucuses in 2012 and 2016. Still, both parties moved away from them partially due to the limited number of locations in each county and the time commitment involved.

Perri Gardner, Associate Professor of Political Science at the College of Southern Idaho says “When you go to a caucus it is not like it’s in-and-out at your regular polling place. It’s actually, kind of a half-day at least event where you’re showing up and you’re going to be there through the process. It’s cool because it’s direct democracy but it’s also kind of un-cool because what if you can’t show up that day, what if you’re an overseas military person, or a missionary, or a student like out of state you can’t absentee vote.”

The Republican Party will hold its presidential nominating caucuses March 2nd and the Democratic Party will hold its May 23rd. The exact locations of the caucuses have not been determined yet.

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