By O. Kay Henderson (Radio Iowa)

Iowa Democratic Party leaders have unanimously approved a plan to hold Caucuses on the same night as Iowa Republicans, but have Iowa Democrats use a mail in card to express their presidential preference.

The plan is being presented to the Democratic National Committee, which has already already voted to deny Iowa Democrats the first go at voting in the 2024 presidential campaign. Iowa Democratic Party chair Rita Hart says the new schedule of early voting states is still in flux, however, and the mail-in plan offers new flexibility.

Iowa GOP chairman Jeff Kaufmann says the mail-in idea is “a charade” and will do nothing to ensure both parties retain first-in-the-nation status for their Caucuses. Republican Governor Kim Reynolds has signed a law that makes it illegal to use a mail-in system for the presidential delegate selection that starts with the Caucuses, but Iowa Democratic Party chair Hart says Democrats are “united in conducting the most inclusive Caucuses in history” with mail-in participation.