In less than two weeks, Republican voters in Kentucky will head to the state’s first presidential caucus in more than three decades, but the process won’t be much different from a typical primary election.
For curious voters expecting lively election day speeches, coin tosses, and campaign operatives herding them into different corners, the commonwealth’s upcoming Republican caucus may seem a little anticlimactic.
"It'll feel familiar in the sense that voters will arrive, show an ID to a trained caucus official, receive a ballot where they sign in, vote for that one office - the only thing on the ballot is the Republican nominee for president - and then cast their ballot," Republican Party of Kentucky Executive Director Mike Biagi tells cn|2. "The whole thing could take a few minutes."
Caucus-goers will notice one difference, however: campaigns are free to actively engage with them in a last-minute bid for votes - and the state's 46 delegates. The earlier election day could draw some GOP hopefuls to the state as well.
Formed to accommodate dual campaigns by Kentucky U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, who dropped out after a poor showing in the Iowa caucuses, the presidential preference contest run from 10 am to 4 pm on Saturday, March 5th. All 11 candidates who signed up for the caucus will remain on the ballot, but voters will be reminded which have suspended their campaigns.
To be eligible, caucus attendees must have been registered Republican by December 31, 2015.
For more information on where to caucus, click here.
