(Radio Iowa) – Schools, churches, American Legion Posts — even a bank and an insurance agency are among the places where precinct meetings will be held for tonight’s (Monday’s) Iowa Caucuses. Republicans in more than two dozen Iowa counties, however, have made plans to have all precincts in the county meet at one location. Twenty-eight counties will have just one, so-called “super site” for Caucus Night.

Wapello County Republicans will be gathering at Ottumwa High School. Wapello County G-O-P chair Trudy Caviness says  “We have done this because when I started doing Caucuses, which is about 25 years ago, we only had about 700 people that attended,” Caviness says. “in 2016, we had about 1800 people.” Caviness says it could be difficult for some rural residents to make it to Ottumwa, but she says given the number of phone calls she’s fielding, the wind chill may not dampen turnout. “I’ve heard from a lot of people who have never Caucused before and they’re excited about it,” Caviness says. “They want to know the procedures and what happens and so I think we’re going to have pretty robust turnout.”

Denny Werkmeister is O’Brien County G-O-P chairman and Republicans in his county will be meeting at the Harley-Melvin-Sanborn High School. “It makes reporting (results) easier if we’re all at one location. We also get a better handle, I think, on the number of people who are attending,” he says. “Just logistics wise, it’s a benefit.” What is his guess on turnout? “That’s a good question,” Werkmeister said, with a laugh. “I think with the presidential race and some of the issues that are going on, I think the turn-out will be good.”

Plans for these “super sites” were made long ago — well before anyone knew what tonight’s (Monday’s) weather was going to be like. Most of the 28 counties that opted to have one meeting place for all precincts in the county reserved space at a school or community college, but Adams County Republicans will be meeting at the Opera House in Corning.

Here’s the list of counties where all precincts will meet in one location in the county: Adams, Adair, Calhoun, Clay, Crawford, Davis, Delaware, Dickinson, Emmet, Floyd, Franklin, Humboldt, Ida, Lucas, Monona, Monroe, Montgomery, O’Brien, Osceola, Palo Alto, Ringgold, Sac, Shelby, Wapello, Wayne, Webster, Worth, Wright.)

Cass County (IA) Democrats will caucus tonight at 7-p.m. with check-in at 6:30. The location is 102 Chestnut Street. Registered Democrats and those who will be 18 by Nov. 5, 2024 can participate in the caucus.