Iowa’s Republican party began selling tickets to their 2015 Straw Poll.
The event has become less fun and much more competitive, stressful, and expensive for candidates and voters alike, so the party decided to make big changes to the straw poll.
“This time, candidates only have to get themselves to Boone, Iowa for the August 8 event, with no entry fee charged to any candidate,” said Iowa GOP Chairman Jeff Kaufmann.
“The Iowa Straw Poll has grown into one of the largest grassroots events on the presidential nomination calendar, drawing tens of thousands of Caucus-going activists mere months before they’ll cast a Caucus vote,” Kaufmann wrote in a report from Politico.
Instead of auctioning the prime campaign spots on the straw poll grounds to the highest-bidding campaign, the locations will be decided by random lottery drawing. The campaigns also won’t be expected to feed voters who attend, instead food will come from fair-style vendors and local civic organizations.
Parking is also reportedly better for voters and campaigns at the Central Iowa Expo location in Boone.
Voters can buy tickets for $30 apiece, which is the same price charged in 2011. Anyone who will not be 18 years old by November 8, 2016 – Election Day – will be allowed in for free as a non-voting attendee.
In previous straw polls, some campaigns have purchased tickets on behalf of their supporters, and helped arrange transportation for those supporters to attend the Straw Poll in Iowa.
The $30 ticket price was discounted to $25 for those bought before May 18, 2015, and those early tickets also come with premium parking, according to a spokesman for the Iowa GOP.
