SALT LAKE CITY — Democrats in Iowa and Nevada will have a new way of voting in their caucus meetings — over the phone.
The Associated Press reports that both Iowa and Nevada will allow Democrats to vote over the phone instead of showing up at their caucus meetings in February.
The reason: Allowing voters to vote over the phone could increase participation from residents of those two states and allow those who work night shifts or have disabilities to vote as well, according to Axios. The changes will likely increase voter participation, too.
The polls: Recent poll numbers show 20% of Democrats in Iowa will participate in the virtual vote, according to The Associated Press. Meanwhile, in Nevada, most voters intend to cast their votes early during the regular elections.
- “While rolling out a new voting system holds the promise of more voter participation, it also comes with potential risk for confusion or technical troubles. But the party is moving forward to try and address long-standing criticism that the caucuses are exclusionary and favor some candidates over others,” according to The Associated Press.
Nationwide: The states reportedly shared the idea with the Democratic National Committee’s Rules and Bylaws Committee last month, according to The Hill.
- “We are working with every state party that is integrating these tools so they can make their voting process secure and successful. We look forward to working with Democrats in these states to address the committee’s questions,” DNC spokesman David Bergstein said in a statement.