I heard on NPR Monday night that turnout at the Iowa caucuses wasn’t up to expectations, but I’m reading now that turnout may have been an all time record. Does this bode well? Iowa has open caucuses, that is, voters can declare party affiliation at the time they show up to caucus. How many of these caucus-goers were first-timers or usually unaffiliated voters? Let’s look at the poll results:

19% “independents” and 45% first-time caucus goers. Is this a nationwide trend, or just an Iowa thing? New Hampshire won’t really be a guide, since it requires voters to declare party affiliation at the time of registration. South Carolina has an open primary. Let’s hope for high turnout there.

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