What's the difference between a caucus and a primary? Are they the same thing?

Not even all the caucuses are done in the same manner, Iowa is very unusual, this will give you an idea of what I mean.

For the Democratic Party, caucuses form all around the state based upon specified precincts. Unlike the primaries, where voters pick candidates via ballots, caucuses form and ultimately pick one candidate. Caucuses take place at schools and libraries, and truly are groups of people whom convene and decide whom they like most. For example, one caucus may consist of 100 people. Within that caucus, one candidate will be selected by process of elimination. They use a 15% rule. People break up into the groups of whom they favor. The candidate must receive 15% of the vote. So, if there were 7 candidates, and 3 candidates received 20% each, and the other 4 candidates received 40% combined - but not one getting at least 15%, those people must then pick from the other 3 candidates.`So now, lets call the first three candidates A,B, and C. A ends up after the others were forced to re vote with 40%, B the same, and C now has only 20%. C is forced to re vote between the top 2. Now B has 55%, and A only %45. B wins. And then that county or precincts caucus sends their vote tally to their respective headquarters.

For the Republican Party, its a different story. Secret ballots determine delegates. "The vote determines which delegates, representing which candidates, will attend county conventions. There, delegates are chosen for state congressional district conventions, where delegate to national convention are picked.

The Republicans use a winner-take-all system. Whichever candidate wins the caucuses takes all of the delegates for the state."

This site has links to some other places, further explaining the primaries and such.

A caucus is basically a meeting to make decisions instead of a one-by-one vote. The Iowa caucus essentially replaces their primaries. Each precinct decides how many delegates will vote for each candidate after talking about it in the meeting. Although it is much more informal, it still has the same basic outcome as the primary system that most of the states use. I think there are still 13-14 states that use the caucus system.

Doesn't count? Is that why the candidates spent almost $50 million in Iowa alone?

In a primary, you go to vote like in a regular election; secret ballot.

In a caucus, you have to show up and stand in the room in the area designated for your candidate. Takes place at a more specific time.

I don't know if caucuses vary by state. I assume they are very similar state to state.

Both are used to determine who is going to get votes at the national conventions.

When the conventions occur this summer, there can be some switching around of votes according among the delegates who go. The number of delegates representing each candidate is determined during the primaries and caucuses...for the first round of votes at the convention....before the delegates start switching loyalties in order to come up with a majority decision as needed according to current party rules.

At the convention, you should wear a silly hat.

They are not the same. The primary is just a plain old election while the caucus is very complicated. See the wiki link.

No, they're not the same. The caucus is sort of set up like a town meeting, at the primaries you go to your polling location to vote like at a regular election.

A caucus is voting in a particular state by a selected group, a primary is voting by the whole state

A caucus is a pre-election decision of who the public wants to be voted for in the election. Primaries are the real deal.

A caucus is when political party members in a community meet and discuss and promote the affairs of either the Democratic or Republican parties. A primary is when Democratic and Republican voters nominate candidates and choose delegates from their party to their party convention.

A caucus is non-binding, it is also designed to allow independent or undecided voters a chance to hear the candidates and their platforms. Primaries are individual party elections-candidates garnering as many votes as possible to the final party elections.

a primary counts for the nominations, and is VERY serious, unlike the caucus'