What is a caucus, and where is mine?

David DeMille
The Spectrum
St. George residents meet at the Tonaquint Intermediate School to discuss and cast their caucus votes Tuesday, March 22, 2016.

Corrections & clarifications: A previous article misstated the time the Democratic Party caucuses begin. They start at 6 p.m.

In Utah, the 2018 election starts early, with neighborhood caucus meetings scheduled for Tuesday.

It’s the beginning of a months-long process leading up to the actual general election on Nov. 6, and first-time participants especially can find the whole thing to be complicated.

But the caucus-convention system, and how it pairs with Utah’s alternative candidate route of gathering signatures to qualify for a primary election, can be easy to navigate with just a few bits of key information.

Here is what you need to know to participate:

What is a caucus?

A caucus is simply a meeting. You and other members of the same political party meet to pick from amongst yourselves to choose delegates, who then go on to represent your neighborhood precincts at the party’s county and state conventions.

Anyone eligible to vote can participate, although some parties, including the Republican Party, require that you be a registered party member. Most meetings allow for you to register during the meeting if you haven't already.

When are the caucus meetings?

Iron County saw record numbers of Democrats turn out for the Utah Caucus on Tuesday, March 22, 2016.

The two major parties are hosting caucus meetings on Tuesday, with the Democratic Party starting at 6 p.m. and the Republicans starting at 7 p.m. Some smaller parties don’t meet until April. Check with your specific party to be sure.


The easiest way is to log onto vote.utah.gov, the state-sponsored election website maintained by the Utah Lieutenant Governor’s Office, which administers state elections. Simply type in your address and the site shows where to be and when.

County clerks’ offices and designated election officials can also help. See the bottom of this article for a listing of state party contact information.

What is a precinct, and how do I know mine?

The vote.utah.gov website can also help with that information, and caucus administrators will help you determine your precinct once you’re at the meeting.

A precinct is simply a way of dividing voting bodies into districts on a map. Each party has its own set of precinct maps.


That depends on your precinct. Each meeting can last up to a few hours if people within your precinct are particularly active politically. Sometimes there is little competition to be a delegate and the meetings can move very quickly.
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What are delegates and what do they do?

Delegates picked at the caucus meetings are elected to represent their respective parties at either a county or state convention, where they then vote to select candidates to run on the party ticket. In 2018, that means picking party candidates for federal and state offices at the state convention. At the county conventions, which are held separately, county delegates pick among candidates for Utah House, Senate and county offices.

For years, this was the only way candidates could win a party’s nomination, but as of 2014 Utah allows candidates to bypass the caucus-and-convention route and collect signatures from a set number of registered voters to automatically win a spot on the party’s primary ballot. The winner of each party’s primary election in June then goes on to represent the party in November.

How do I get elected a delegate?

Utah delegate Phill Wright speaks as some delegates call for a roll call vote on the adoption of the rules during the opening day of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Monday, July 18, 2016. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

That is kind of like running for election. You have to win support from your neighbors and others in your precinct, and get them to vote for you as a delegate. At the meeting you can ask someone else to nominate you or nominate yourself, then make your case to those at the caucus to try and win their votes.

Party contact information

Constitution Party



Democratic Party



Email: mail@utdem.org

Green Party


Email: info@utahgreenparty.org

Libertarian Party



Email: jimdex@inconnect.com

Republican Party



Email: mail@utgop.org

Sources: Utah Citizen Network, Utah.gov.