PoliticsIowa Caucusesiowa caucusiowa 2016

Here's What A Republican Caucus Looks Like In Iowa

Caucusing takes a lot of effort and can produce big upsets and surprises.
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By 

Staff Reporter, The Huffington Post

The Iowa caucuses taking place Monday evening are nothing like presidential primary events in other states. Instead of showing up to a polling site and privately filling out a ballot, Iowans participate in an hours-long process that involves human interaction and persuasion.  

In this video of the 2012 Iowa Republican caucus, Sarah and David Bowman walk The Huffington Post through the process. At a megachurch in the town of Waukee, former Texas Gov. Rick Perry spoke before the auditorium of caucusgoers to tout his campaign. Ann Romney was there to talk up her husband, Mitt. And Sarah, a fan of Rick Santorum, spoke in front of her friends and neighbors to explain why she was backing the former senator from Pennsylvania.

Watch the Bowmans explain how the Iowa caucus works for Republicans above.

After each candidates' supporters gave their spiel, voters present at the caucus site filled out their ballot. But the 2012 Iowa caucuses weren’t wrapped up that night. Romney was initially declared the victor by just eight votes. Then, because of local reporting problems, Iowa's Republican Party said it couldn’t certify a Santorum victory, even though a canvass of the state’s precincts had found him 34 votes ahead of Romney. Eighteen days after the caucus, Santorum was officially declared the winner.

Also on HuffPost:

Politicians At The Iowa State Fair
(01 of25)
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Hillary Clinton poses for photos with fans.

 (credit:Melina Mara/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
(02 of25)
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Hillary Clinton enjoys a pork chop and lemonade.

 (credit:Melina Mara/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
(03 of25)
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Hillary Clinton hugs a friend while touring the Iowa State Fair. (credit:Justin Sullivan via Getty Images)
(04 of25)
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Hillary Clinton looks up at crowds of supporters.

 (credit:Melina Mara/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
(05 of25)
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Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) bites into a pork chop at the Iowa Pork Producers Association stand.

 (credit:Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
(06 of25)
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Scott Walker flips meat alongside his wife, Tonette, center, and Iowa Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds.

 (credit:Al Drago/Congressional Quarterly via Getty Images)
(07 of25)
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Former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) greets fairgoers.

 (credit:Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
(08 of25)
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Republican presidential candidate Carly Fiorina shares her "diabetic lemonade" with Teresa Tehoke, 2, as her sister, Maire, 6, watches.

 (credit:Al Drago/Congressional Quarterly via Getty Images)
(09 of25)
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Carly Fiorina flips pork loin at the Iowa Pork Producers Association stand.

 (credit:Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
(10 of25)
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Carly Fiorina squeezed past reporters and pots of corn during a visit to The Corn Stand.

 (credit:Al Drago/Congressional Quarterly via Getty Images)
(11 of25)
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Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump arrives at a nearby ballpark by helicopter. (credit:Aaron P. Bernstein via Getty Images)
(12 of25)
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Donald Trump leaves the state fair in his golf cart.

 (credit:Charles Ommanney/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
(13 of25)
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Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) samples a pork chop. (credit:Bloomberg via Getty Images)
(14 of25)
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Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) greets supporters after giving a speech.

 (credit:Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
(15 of25)
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Bernie Sanders takes a moment to cool off.

 (credit:Melina Mara/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
(16 of25)
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Former Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.) poses for a selfie.

 (credit:Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
(17 of25)
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Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson flips pork burgers. (credit:Justin Sullivan via Getty Images)
(18 of25)
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Ben Carson eats a slice of pizza.

 (credit:Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
(19 of25)
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Ben Carson rides a chairlift with a reporter. (credit:Justin Sullivan via Getty Images)
(20 of25)
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Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) takes a bite out of a pork chop at the Iowa Pork Producers Association stand.

 (credit:Al Drago/Congressional Quarterly via Getty Images)
(21 of25)
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Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) flips a pork chop on a grill at the Iowa Pork Tent.

 (credit:Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
(22 of25)
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Jeb Bush eats a pork chop on a stick at the Iowa Pork Producers Association stand.

 (credit:Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
(23 of25)
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Former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) manages the grill as he cooks pork chops.

 (credit:Al Drago/Congressional Quarterly via Getty Images)
(24 of25)
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Rick Perry tries a vegetarian corndog. (credit:Scott Olson via Getty Images)
(25 of25)
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An attendee places a corn kernel into a jar to vote for Donald Trump in a television news station's "Cast Your Kernel" voting booth.

 (credit:Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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