Easy to qualify to vote in Iowa's caucuses

updated 1:25 p.m. ET Nov. 27, 2007

DES MOINES, Iowa - It's Jan. 3 in Iowa and you decide, what the heck, I'm going to a precinct caucus.

Not affiliated with a political party? Not registered? Not even old enough to vote?

No problem. Come and help choose the nation's next president.

In yet another quirk of Iowa's caucus system, all citizens can participate as long as they sign a statement attesting to residency in the precinct and show that they'll be 18 in time for the general election.

"It has not been a problem," said state Democratic Party spokeswoman Carrie Giddins.

Some people do have a problem with the ease of registering for New Hampshire's leadoff primary, which follows Iowa's caucuses by five days.

Primary-day registration in N.H.
New Hampshire allows same-day registration at the polls, has no minimum residency period and defines a voter's home as the place where he or she sleeps most nights or intends to return after a temporary absence. The state, not the parties, runs the primary, and changes to residency laws have been hotly contested.

This year, New Hampshire Democrats pushed through a change that some Republicans contend would enable campaigns to bus in people who could cast a ballot and then vote again in their real home states.

"You can vote in New Hampshire without being a resident," said Republican state Sen. Bob Clegg. "You can vote in the primary because you someday may want to live here."

Democratic state Sen. Peter Burling calls such arguments "part of the campaign of fear to restrict people's right to vote."

David Scanlan, New Hampshire's deputy secretary of state, acknowledged the law is ambiguous about prohibiting people from voting in more than one state. But he insisted there are no widespread problems.

"Everybody has the right to vote somewhere," he said. "The question is where that place is."

In Iowa, requirements for taking part in the caucuses are becoming a focus for candidates now that the contest is a little more than a month away.

MORE FROM

Section Front

Obama campaign head gets big book deal Officials turn down Franken request Joe the Plumber to become war correspondent Franken lead at 49 with absentees left to count Minn. Senate winner won't be known in 2008 First Read: 'Twas the seventh week of recount... Franken opens first lead in Minn. Senate race Mom of Palin daughter's boyfriend arrested Minn. court weighs rejected absentee ballots Minnesota panel reviews disputed ballots Section Front   Add headlines to your news reader: