For Some Iowa Voters, Caucuses Remain A Barrier To Participation
Iowa Democrats have worked to make the caucuses more accessible for Iowans who face physical, language and scheduling barriers. But some say it's still difficult to have their voices heard.
Marlu Abarca has lived in Iowa for a decade and says she now "identifies as an Iowan." For the past few weeks she's been attending training sessions to chair a satellite caucus site at the South Suburban YMCA in Des Moines.
Even so, she'll have to miss work to participate.
"I have to take vacation to chair the satellite caucus," Abarca, 28, said during a lunch break from her job at a Des Moines library.
Abarca is far from the only Iowan who has to make special arrangements to participate in Monday's caucuses, or who may be unable to participate at all. To caucus, voters have to show up in person at 7 p.m. CT, at a specific location. They can expect to spend some time, multiple hours even, at that location.
That tends to pose problems for a
