How a caucus works & find your location

Coloradans will vote on Super Tuesday. However, your party affiliation will determine who you're voting for -- a presidential candidate or delegates.

That's because Colorado is holding a caucus and not a presidential primary. Caucuses are held by political parties, not the state election's office. That means only Republicans and Democrats are voting, not independents.

A caucus also works differently than a typical election. Instead of going to a polling place and voting, on caucus night voters go to a meeting.

DEMOCRATS:

If you attend a Democratic Party caucus, you'll be part of a presidential preference poll that can be a show of hands, a secret vote or attendees may be asked to separate into candidate preference groups.

Everyone votes for their preferred candidate. A candidate must get at least 15 percent of the vote in order to receive any delegates.

Each precinct then elects a designated number of delegates for the county Assembly and Convention, based on the presidential preference vote.

Your precinct will also elect two Precinct Committee People and draft and vote on resolutions, which is the first step in drafting the party platform, according to the Colorado Democratic Party.

Learn more about the Democrats caucus process. Find your caucus location.

REPUBLICANS:

Republicans attending a caucus night event will elect a chair, secretary and teller. Then caucus attendees will elect delegates and alternates to attend the county assembly (or higher assembly, based on county party by laws).

There will not be a presidential straw poll.

That's because the Republican National Committee mandated the vote would have to be binding vote.

The Colorado Republican Party "elected to eliminate the straw poll after following an RNC rule change that would have forced the Colorado GOP to bind delegates to the result. Binding delegates to a straw poll process that lacks the full integrity of a true primary election would be a mistake," according to Colorado GOP Chairman Steve House.

"Colorado Republicans continue to have the opportunity to make their voice heard in the presidential race by electing delegates to higher assemblies," House said.

Learn more on the Colorado GOP's Facebook page. Find your caucus location.

Things to know

Voters who are not registered as Democrats or Republicans may attend as observers, but they will not be allowed to vote.

The caucus meetings begin at 7 p.m. Voters may want to go early because voter registrations will be checked.