2026 Off Year Caucus and Convention

feb 2 off year caucus, 6 pm Registration, Ames High School gym

Mar 21 county convention, 8 am registration, ames middle school auditorium

May 2 district convention, location tbd

june 13 state convention, location tbd

Iowa Caucuses

“Caucus” is a broad term that means “meeting.” It is also used to describe a group of affiliated members such as the Black Caucus. A congressional caucus is a group of members of Congress that meets to pursue common legislative objectives.

In Iowa we hold Precinct Caucuses every year. They are usually held in February or early March. Watch this page for the dates, locations and official Call to Caucus or sign up for our newsletter here-https://www.storydems.org/emailsignup so you will receive the Call to Caucus by email.

In Presidential Election years the Presidential Caucus is the first step in the Caucus to Convention process that leads to the National Convention. At the National Convention, the National Delegates elect the Democratic nominee for U.S. President.

In the even numbered years that aren’t a Presidential year, the Caucus is called the Off Year Caucus.

At both the Presidential Caucus and the Off Year Caucus, we elect representative to the County Central Committee, accept proposals to our Platform, elect Delegates to serve at the County Convention, and members to serve on the Convention Committees.

The Arrangements Committee is responsible for helping set up Convention and compiling the reports of the other committees into the Convention Book. 

The Credentials Committee is responsible for verifying the credentials of the Delegates and Alternates to the County Convention and staffing the registration at Convention.

The Platform Committee is responsible for reviewing the platform planks submitted at the Caucus for potential inclusion of the new Platform. Resolution Forms are available at the Caucus. They will write and update the Platform for ratification of the County Delegates at the County Convention. The current Platform is available at: https://www.storydems.org/links-documents

The Rules Committee is responsible for writing the Rules of Convention and overseeing and counting ballots of the elections held at Convention.

The Caucuses held in odd years are called the Odd Year Caucuses. These are organizational meetings where we gather to organize, plan for the upcoming elections and elect members to fill any vacancies on our Central Committee to represent each Precinct. There are no Conventions in the Odd Years.

Conventions

County, District and State Conventions are held in even numbered years. The National Convention is only held in Presidential Election years.

The County Conventions

At the County Convention, Delegates will be elected to serve at the District and State Conventions. In Presidential Election years they are pledged to Presidential candidates based upon the proportion of the Presidential Preference mailing cards. For example if candidate A receives 15% support then they will receive 15% of the Delegates being elected to serve at District and State.

You do not have to have been elected as a County Delegate at the Caucus to attend the Convention and run to serve as a Delegate at the District and State Conventions.

The Platform written by the Platform Committee that was elected at the Caucus will be debated and a vote will be taken to approve it.

Members to serve on the District Convention Committees will be elected.

Platform Resolutions will also be accepted for submission to the District Platform Committee.

Resolution Forms are available at the Convention.

The District Conventions

The Platform written by the Platform Committee that was elected at the County Conventions will be debated and a vote will be taken to approve it.

Members to serve on the Iowa Democratic State Central Committee will be elected.

Members to serve on the State Convention Committees will be elected.

Platform Resolutions will also be accepted for submission to the State Platform Committee.

Resolution Forms are available at the Convention.

In Presidential Election years only, National Delegates will be elected to serve at the Democratic National Conventions that are pledged to Presidential candidates based upon the proportion of the Presidential Preference mailing cards. For example if candidate A receives 15% in the District, then they will receive 15% of the Delegates being elected to serve at the National Convention.

The State Convention

A DEI Chair, who serves on the Iowa Democratic State Central Committee will be elected.

Members to serve on the Democratic National Convention Committees will be elected.

Platform Resolutions will also be accepted for submission to the National Platform Committee.

The Platform written by the Platform Committee that was elected at the District Conventions will be debated and a vote will be taken to approve it.

Amendment submissions to the IDP Constitution will be debated. To see the requirements and deadline for submissions see Article XV at https://iowademocrats.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IDP-Constitution-As-amended-6.15.2024-.pdf

In Presidential Election years only, additional National Delegates will be elected to serve at the Democratic National Conventions that are pledged to Presidential candidates based upon the proportion of the Presidential Preference mailing cards. For example if candidate A receives 15% support in Iowa, then they will receive 15% of the Delegates being elected to serve at the National Convention.