What is a caucus?

AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall

Iowa’s Democratic and Republican caucuses are the most hyped presidential contests in the country but also among the most confusing.

They essentially function like traditional party primaries because residents cast ballots, and the candidate with the most ballots wins.

However, residents simply don’t walk into a polling site to cast their ballot, then exit.

Caucus night is more time-consuming because it includes discussing candidates, picking convention delegates and dealing with state party business.

And the parties, which run the caucuses, have uniquely different processes amid some similarities.

At the Republican caucuses, unlike a GOP primary, candidate supporters are allowed to campaign at Republican caucus sites and make a quick speech before the paper balloting.

The top finishers often continue with their campaigns deep into the election cycle while those who finish at or near the bottom sometimes drop out soon, though that’s not always the case.

This week in Iowa , GOP candidates Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis participated in town hall events ahead of the caucuses. Tonight, Donald Trump will sit down with Fox News Channel for an event of his own.