How the Iowa Caucuses Work, or Were Supposed To

The Iowa caucuses start the process of anointing the Democrat who will take on President Donald Trump in November. A vestige of old-style organizing in an age when most political action has moved online, Iowa’s caucuses can seem obscure and anachronistic to outsiders. Changes this year in response to long-running criticism of Iowa’s importance and procedures have made things even more complicated. Some local officials had difficulty using a new smartphone app, and the state party, which runs the