Participating in the caucuses comes with significant barriers for some Iowans — including people with disabilities, employees who'd have to take time off work, parents without childcare options, and people who might need access to interpreters.
That tends to pose problems for a lot of voters: parents who don't have childcare options; employees who work irregular schedules and can't take time off; and people with disabilities who may struggle to navigate a process that demands a lengthy amount of physical presence, often in a crowded room.
With an eye toward making the caucuses more accessible for all voters, the Iowa Democratic Party has ushered in some changes, including early check-in and a streamlined process for voters to sort out their support for candidates. They've also expanded"satellite caucuses," like the one that Abarca is leading in Des Moines.
"It's similar to the term 'marketing,' where in Spanish there's no comparable word that would represent the idea of what marketing is. So the Spanish language has simply adopted the word 'márketing.' Very similarly 'cau-kos' or just 'caucus,'" Abarca explained."More and more Spanish speakers are becoming familiar with the term, but there's no other word.
"Obviously, caucusing is an activity that requires a physical presence, so there in lies the crux of the problem with regard to a few different populations of people," said Reyma McCoy McDeid, the executive director of the Central Iowa Center for Independent Living. There will be quiet space with softer light for people who need a space with less sensory overload, and space to lie down for those who need it. Participants are being reminded that, while caucuses can be loud, passionate affairs, they should be mindful of their volume"for the sake of caucusers who experience neurodiversity, overstimulation or anxiety." An American Sign Language, or ASL, caucus will take place in a different room.
"Having a satellite location in my apartment building was one of the only ways I knew to at least give me a good chance of being able to attend," Smith said in an interview at Disability Rights Iowa's Des Moines office."Not a guarantee, but prevent, you know, the long commutes and different issues I've encountered in previous years.
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