Most Iowans Are Caucus No-Shows

DES MOINES, Iowa, Jan. 3, 2008 — -- Walking the streets of Des Moines on caucus night, you run into plenty of Iowans who aren't caucusing.

At the Court Avenue Brewing Company in Des Moines' trendy East Village neighborhood, John Ferguson, 27, watched television coverage of the caucuses.

"Double Grey Goose and cranberry, that's why we're not at the caucuses," laughed Ferguson, sitting at the bar with a friend.

Down the street, at the Royal Mile, Christy May, 31, and Steve Frederick, 35, sat at the bar having post-work drinks.

"I'm just not that much into it," May said of the caucuses. "I don't know a whole lot about it."

For months, presidential candidates woo Iowans, pollsters delve into their preferences and the media camp out in the state with the coveted first-in-the-nation status.

However, the vast majority of Iowans are too busy, uninterested or disillusioned to show up on caucus night.

In a state of 2.9 million people, only 59,000 Democrats and 87,000 Republicans actually voted in 2000. In 2004, 124,000 people turned out for the Democratic caucus, while the Republican caucus was uncontested.

While more voters were expected this year, some Iowans got fed up with the campaign.

Tom Uitermarkt, 60, decided to skip the caucuses to go to the movies with his girlfriend.

"All these months of political ads, you get tired of being bombarded," said Uitermarkt, outside Des Moines' Fleur Cinema.

At the nearby Aspen Athletic Club, almost 40 people were working out on treadmills and lifting weights.

Deanna Graves, 31, a radiologist, was just finishing a session with a personal trainer.

"I just got off work at 5 p.m., came here, and now I gotta get home to feed my little girl," she said.

Other Iowans say they don't caucus because it's too complicated.

"I'm just not clear on how it all works," said Steve Wolter of Clive, Iowa, who also decided to hit the gym instead of caucus.