What is the Texas Democratic caucus?
The Texas Democratic caucus is part of a unique system that Texas Democrats use in voting on their party’s presidential nomination. Most state parties use either a primary or precinct caucuses to choose presidential candidates. Democrats in Texas use both.PrimaryThe first step is the primary, where the voting is by secret ballot, just like in a general election.CaucusesImmediately after the primary polls close, anyone who voted in the primary is eligible to take part in a precinct caucus, where voters must publicly declare their support for a candidate.DelegatesIn the primary, candidates are awarded delegates to the national presidential nominating convention based on their share of the statewide vote. In the caucuses, the awarding of delegates is weighted by precinct, based on how strongly those precincts voted Democratic in recent elections.TurnoutThere is an enormous difference in voter participation. In 2008, for example, more than 2.8 million people voted in the primary, while onl
