An Iowan Election

It's not just the occasional political ad

Presidential Election Season

For those of you who don't live in Iowa, it's hard to understand what "presidential election season" is. Imagine having a candidate in your town every day. Often, multiple candidates come through to earn your vote. And then there's this; I don't have TV yet political ads flood my inbox, cell phone, computer, Facebook timeline, and Twitter timeline. The ads started almost a year ago and have become more intense and frequent as the Caucus approached. In the past week, I've gotten seven political phone calls from ONE candidate. Political season in Iowa is the most intense, heated, house-dividing time. And for those of us who love politics, it's the best time of the year.

Candidates love to bring in the big guns, too. Bill Clinton? Eh, old news. Peeta Mellark? Nice to see you again. Demi Lovato? Yeah, you're confident, we get it. Katy Perry? You have a lovely voice. Mostly kidding. In a state that gets little celebrity attention, it really is fun to see so many big names stop by and enjoy our little coffee shops and downtown stores. Heck, I even waited in line for six hours to hear Katy Perry perform four songs.

Wait, Who is He?

Yes, it seems like there were hundreds of candidates this Caucus season (yes, I'm talking to you, GOP). Even deciding between three democratic candidates can be a challenge, let alone ELEVEN for the Republicans (the latest count). Just when you thought you had your vote nailed down, another candidate popped in and ruffled some feathers. You think it's ridiculous having all these candidates running? Imagine having to see all their ads. Yes, 14 candidates' ads running all day. Every day. Since last Spring.

The Blizzard of 2016

Last Tuesday weather forecasters began warning of a HUGE *cue Donald Trump* blizzard coming our way. Initial snowfall totals were amounting close to 24 inches. Yes, two feet. Oh, did I mention 50 MPH winds as well? The timing was perfect, it was set to hit on Caucus night. This was bound to cause some Caucus-goers to stay at home. The candidates seemed to pick up on that and began hitting us even harder with demands to get out and fulfill their right as a citizen. I became worried that this would be the one excuse people would need to skip out on the Caucus.

It's Here

The whole day, I had jitters. I was more excited for this day than Christmas. I felt like someone who had just discovered the Fountain of Youth and wanted to share the news with everyone. I walked around urging everyone to Caucus no matter who they were voting for. As the day progressed, I was feeling like the turnout might be a great disappointment.

The Results

As the night progressed, results came flooding in. I watched as Donald Trump fell to second place, Rubio came in a close third, and was glued to my computer as Bernie and Hillary fought it out for the most delegates. As I was looking at the percentage points, I began to notice the actual numbers of the voter turn outs. The Republicans came out in full force, topping their 2012 record attendance. A whopping 180,000 came out (60,000 more than the record in 2012). 171,000 Democrats turned out to vote. While far off from their record turnout of 240,000 it was still impressive. Ted Cruz knocked off Trump while Hillary and Bernie were in a statistical tie.

Why This Makes Me Proud

As an Iowan, I couldn't be more proud of how our state participated last night. Given the blizzard and millions of candidates to choose from, we showed up and worked hard for candidates. Regardless of political party, you can't help but be proud of how everything worked out. The dead heat between Hillary and Bernie was riveting and a joy to be a part of. The surprising results of the GOP party was exciting to watch. Iowans, thank you for taking pride in our Caucus. Thank you for showing up. Thank you for working so hard all political season to get votes for your candidates. We have single-handedly shaped how the rest of the election season will play out and that makes me incredibly proud to be an Iowan. Thank you for caring. Thank you for being informed. Thank you for proudly representing our state. In a way, I'm terribly sad Caucus season is over.

To the rest of the country, take pride in your primaries and be informed. Your voice matters and can help decide our future. Election 2016, you've been good to us.