120-464: The Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation (INHF) is a statewide non-profit natural conservation organization based in Des Moines, Iowa with a mission to protect and restore Iowa's land, water and wildlife. The organization has protected more than 190,000 acres (770 km) in 97 of Iowa’s 99 counties and worked on hundreds of different project sites since its inception in 1979. INHF is donor-supported and has
240-409: A binding primary or caucus, in which the results of the election depending on state law or party rules legally bind some or all of the delegates to vote for a particular candidate at the national convention, for a certain number of ballots or until the candidate releases the delegates. Some binding primaries are winner-take-all contests, in which all of a state's delegates are required to vote for
360-405: A council-manager government, with the council members elected at-large. In 1967, the city changed its government to elect four of the seven city council members from single-member districts or wards, rather than at-large. This enabled a broader representation of voters. As with many major urban areas, the city core began losing population to the suburbs in the 1960s (the peak population of 208,982
480-399: A " brokered convention " occurs: all pledged delegates are "released" after the first round of voting and are able to switch their allegiance to a different candidate, and then additional rounds take place until there is a winner with an absolute majority. The staggered nature of the presidential primary season allows candidates to concentrate their resources in each area of the country one at
600-507: A 5-foot-thick (1.5 m) coal bed. By 1876, this mine employed 150 men and shipped 20 carloads of coal per day. By 1885, numerous mine shafts were within the city limits, and mining began to spread into the surrounding countryside. By 1893, 23 mines were in the region. By 1908, Des Moines' coal resources were largely exhausted. In 1912, Des Moines still had eight locals of the United Mine Workers union, representing 1,410 miners. This
720-591: A Statement of Candidacy with the Federal Election Commission . Thus, presidential candidates officially announce their intentions to run that early so they can start raising or spending the money needed to mount their nationwide campaigns. During the first six months of the year, primaries and caucuses are separately held in each of the 50 states; the District of Columbia , and each of the five permanently inhabited US territories of American Samoa , Guam ,
840-544: A combination of both. These primaries and caucuses are staggered, generally beginning sometime in January or February, and ending about mid-June before the general election in November. State and local governments run the primary elections, while caucuses are private events that are directly run by the political parties themselves. A state's primary election or caucus is usually an indirect election : instead of voters directly selecting
960-633: A decisive win in the South Carolina primary helped former Vice President Joe Biden win the Democratic presidential primary by eliminating several rivals and triggering strong wins across the country on Super Tuesday. Biden had previously struggled in Iowa and New Hampshire. The Tuesday in February or March when the greatest number of states hold primary elections and caucuses is known as " Super Tuesday ". Because it
1080-416: A different delegation to give the leading candidate the honor of casting the majority-making vote. If no single candidate has secured a majority of delegates (including both pledged and unpledged) during the first vote, then a " brokered convention " results. All pledged delegates are then "released" and are able to switch their allegiance to a different candidate. Thereafter, the nomination is decided through
1200-428: A female householder with no husband present, 5.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 41.6% were non-families. 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.11. The median age in the city was 33.5 years. 24.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.9% were between
1320-486: A group of unpledged delegates. Republicans have three At-Large delegates selected at the state convention from all the states and territories, 168 in number. These are each states' two national committeepersons and the state chairperson. In Democratic primaries through 2016, about 85% of delegates to the Democratic National Convention are "pledged delegates" who are apportioned to candidates according to
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#17328552537201440-404: A handful of states hold caucuses. Instead of going to a polling place, voters attend local private events run by the political parties, and cast their selections there. One disadvantage of caucuses is that the state party runs the process directly instead of having the state and local governments run them. Another is that most election laws do not normally apply to caucuses. Nearly all states have
1560-405: A local, county or state party convention, which then, in turn, selects pledged delegates to the national convention. A handful of states may also practice non-binding "beauty contests", which are public opinion surveys for use by caucus delegates to select candidates to a state convention, which then in turn selects delegates to the national convention. In many states, only voters registered with
1680-537: A major impact on the races, while voters in California and other large states which traditionally hold their primaries in June generally end up having a significantly reduced say because the races are usually over by then. As a result, more states vie for earlier primaries, known as "front-loading", to claim a greater influence in the process. The national parties have used penalties and awarded bonus delegates in efforts to stagger
1800-487: A membership of roughly 10,000. The current president of INHF is Joe McGovern. INHF works with partner organizations to preserve and protect natural landscapes throughout the state. Landowners interested in protecting their land either donate or sell property to INHF, who will work to conserve and/or restore its natural features. In most cases, INHF takes ownership of land temporarily, while public conservation agencies (local, county, state or federal) raise funds to purchase
1920-599: A particular person running for president, they determine the number of delegates a candidate will receive from their respective state for each party's national convention . These delegates then in turn select their party's presidential nominee. The first state in the United States to hold its presidential primary was North Dakota in 1912, following on Oregon 's successful implementation of its system in 1910. Each party determines how many delegates it allocates to each state. Along with those "pledged" delegates chosen during
2040-402: A party may vote in that party's primary, known as a closed primary . In some states, a semi-closed primary is practiced, in which voters unaffiliated with a party ( independents ) may choose a party primary in which to vote. In an open primary , any voter may vote in any party's primary. A semi-open primary occurs when a voter must choose a party-specific ballot to cast, instead of being provided
2160-511: A peak in the warmer months. Winters are slightly colder than Chicago , but still warmer than Minneapolis , with summer temperatures being very similar between the Upper Midwest metropolitan areas. The city has the largest African American population in Iowa. The 2020 United States census counted 214,133 people, 87,958 households, and 48,599 families in Des Moines. The population density
2280-473: A presidential primary as an easier way to come into compliance with the new national Democratic Party rules. The result was that many more future delegates would be selected by a state presidential primary. The Republicans also adopted many more state presidential primaries. By 1992, Democrats had primaries in 40 states and Republicans in 39. Both major political parties of the U.S.—the Democratic Party and
2400-598: A process of alternating political horse trading , and additional rounds of re-votes. A customary ceremonial practice has been for the losing candidate(s) in the primary season to "release" their delegates at the convention and exhort them to vote for the winning nominee as a sign of party unity. Thus, the vote tallied on the convention floor is unanimous or nearly so. For example, during the 2008 Democratic National Convention , Hillary Clinton (who only captured about 22% of delegates compared to Barack Obama 's approximate 72%) moved to nominate Obama by acclamation, making it
2520-410: A project to provide local employment and improve infrastructure. The ornamental fountains that stood along the riverbank were buried in the 1950s when the city began a postindustrial decline that lasted until the late 1980s. The city has since rebounded, transforming from a blue-collar industrial city to a white-collar professional city. In 1907, the city adopted a city commission government known as
SECTION 20
#17328552537202640-413: A push by independent Senator Bernie Sanders , who ran as a Democrat, the party voted in favor of superdelegate reform, such that in future presidential elections most superdelegates will be bound to their state primary results. Franchise in a primary or caucus is governed by rules established by the state party, although the states may impose other regulations. While most states hold primary elections,
2760-646: A result, even a little-known, underfunded candidate can use retail politics to meet intimately with interested voters and perform better than expected. The Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary have produced a number of headline-making upsets in history: In 2008 Nevada was given the official "First in the West" status reflecting the growing importance of the West as well as Nevada's electoral bellwether status. America's increasing ethnic diversity, urbanization, and geographic redistribution made influential political leaders come to
2880-532: A single ballot where the voter must choose on the ballot itself which party's primary to vote in. In all of these systems, a voter may participate in only one primary; that is, a voter who casts a vote for a candidate standing for the Republican nomination for president cannot cast a vote for a candidate standing for the Democratic nomination, or vice versa. A few states once staged a blanket primary , in which voters could vote for one candidate in multiple primaries, but
3000-485: A sizable financial-services and publishing business base. The city is the headquarters for the Principal Financial Group , Ruan Transportation, TMC Transportation, EMC Insurance Companies, and Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield . Other major corporations such as Wells Fargo , Cognizant , Voya Financial , Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company , ACE Limited , Bayer , and Corteva have large operations in or near
3120-431: A time instead of campaigning in every state simultaneously. In some of the less populous states, this allows campaigning to take place on a much more personal scale. However, the overall results of the primary season may not be representative of the U.S. electorate as a whole: voters in Iowa, New Hampshire and other less populous states which traditionally hold their primaries and caucuses in late-January/February usually have
3240-564: A unanimous vote. Campaigning for president often begins almost a year before the New Hampshire primary , almost two years before the presidential election . This is largely because federal campaign finance laws including the Federal Election Campaign Act state that a candidate who intends to receive contributions aggregating in excess of $ 5,000 or make expenditures aggregating in excess of $ 5,000, among others, must first file
3360-516: Is a member of ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability USA . Through ICLEI, Des Moines has implemented "The Tomorrow Plan", a regional plan focused on developing central Iowa in a sustainable fashion, centrally-planned growth, and resource consumption to manage the local population. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has an area of 90.65 square miles (234.78 km ), of which 88.93 square miles (230.33 km )
3480-530: Is at the juncture of the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers. It is mostly a level prairie with a few swells or hills around it. We have a court house of "brick" and one church, a plain, framed building belonging to the Methodists. There are two taverns here, one of which has a most important little bell that rings together some fifty boarders. I cannot tell you how many dwellings there are, for I have not counted them; some are of logs, some of brick, some framed, and some are
3600-403: Is held in various states from geographically and socially diverse regions of the country, it typically represents a presidential candidate's first test of national electability. More delegates can be won on Super Tuesday than on any other single day of the primary calendar, thus convincing wins during this day have usually propelled candidates to their party's nomination. With the broadened use of
3720-452: Is land and 1.73 square miles (4.48 km ) is covered by water. It is 850 feet (260 m) above sea level at the confluence of the Raccoon and Des Moines Rivers. In November 2005, Des Moines voters approved a measure that allowed the city to annex parcels of land in the northeast, southeast, and southern corners of Des Moines without agreement by local residents, particularly areas bordering
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3840-418: Is required to reschedule the primary accordingly. In recent elections, the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary have garnered over half the media attention paid to the entire selection process. After Iowa and New Hampshire, the front runners then attempt to solidify their status, while the others fight to become #2. Because these states are small, campaigning takes place on a much more personal scale. As
3960-477: Is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa . It is the county seat of Polk County with parts extending into Warren County . It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines , which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857. It is located on, and named after, the Des Moines River , which likely was adapted from the early French name, Rivière des Moines, meaning "River of
4080-538: Is the only method in which voters in Puerto Rico , Guam , and other U.S. territories can have a say in the presidential race. Under the U.S. Constitution, U.S. territories are not represented in the Electoral College , and thus voters residing in those areas are basically ineligible to vote in the general election. On the other hand, as stated above, the primaries and caucuses are non-governmental party affairs. Both
4200-496: The 2008 Republican presidential nomination in March, while during that same month Barack Obama held a substantial lead in pledged delegates in the Democratic Party primaries . In 2012, Obama faced no major challenger in the Democratic Party primaries since he had the advantage of incumbency ( see below ) , while Mitt Romney gained enough delegates to be declared the presumptive Republican nominee by late April. In 2012, both
4320-485: The Iowa Highway 5 / U.S. 65 bypass. The annexations became official on June 26, 2009, as 5,174 acres (20.94 km ) and around 868 new residents were added to the city of Des Moines. An additional 759 acres (3.07 km ) were voluntarily annexed to the city over that same period. The skyline of Des Moines changed in the 1970s and the 1980s, when several new skyscrapers were built. Additional skyscrapers were built in
4440-513: The Monks ". The city's population was 214,133 as of the 2020 census . The six-county metropolitan area is ranked 81st in terms of population in the United States , with 709,466 residents according to the 2020 census by the United States Census Bureau , and is the largest metropolitan area fully located within the state. Des Moines is a major center of the United States insurance industry and has
4560-558: The Northern Mariana Islands , Puerto Rico , and the US Virgin Islands are instead assigned a fixed number of pledged delegates. States and territories who schedule their primary or caucus later in the primary season may also get additional bonus delegates. The Republican Party's rules since 2008 leave more discretion to the states in choosing a method of allocating pledged delegates. As a result, states variously applied
4680-516: The Northern Mariana Islands , Puerto Rico , and the US Virgin Islands . Each party sets its own calendar and rules, and in some cases actually administers the election. However, to reduce expenses and encourage turnout, the major parties' primaries are usually held the same day and may be consolidated with other state elections. The primary election itself is administered by local governments according to state law. In some cases, state law determines how delegates will be awarded and who may participate in
4800-468: The Republican Party —officially nominate their candidate for president at their respective national conventions . Each of these conventions is attended by a number of delegates selected in accordance with the given party's bylaws. The results of the presidential primaries and caucuses bind many of these delegates, known as pledged delegates, to vote for a particular candidate. Both parties also have
4920-603: The Republicans and the Democrats moved their Florida primary to January 31, which was an earlier date than past election cycles. In response, other states also changed their primary election dates for 2012, in order to claim a greater influence, creating a cascade of changes in other states. This followed what happened in 2008 when Nevada moved its caucuses to January, causing other states to also move their primaries to earlier dates. Senate majority leader and Nevada senator Harry Reid
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5040-496: The 1990s, including Iowa's tallest. Before then, the 19-story Equitable Building , from 1924, was the tallest building in the city and the tallest building in Iowa. The 25-story Financial Center was completed in 1973 and the 36-story Ruan Center was completed in 1974. They were later joined by the 33-story Des Moines Marriott Hotel (1981), the 25-story HUB Tower and 25-story Plaza Building (1985). Iowa's tallest building, Principal Financial Group 's 45-story tower at 801 Grand
5160-546: The 2008 election, but in 2012 both states ended up moving them back to June. California lawmakers stated that consolidating their presidential and statewide primary election in June saves them about $ 100 million, and that it is not worth the cost when there is generally no competitive balance between the two political parties within California. In 2005, the primary commission of the Democratic National Committee began considering removing Iowa and New Hampshire from
5280-555: The 50 U.S. states , the District of Columbia , and five territories of the United States holds either primary elections or caucuses to help nominate individual candidates for president of the United States . This process is designed to choose the candidates that will represent their political parties in the general election . The United States Constitution has never specified this process; political parties have developed their own procedures over time. Some states hold only primary elections, some hold only caucuses, and others use
5400-604: The Democratic and Republican parties, as well as other third parties, have agreed to let these territories participate in the presidential nomination process. In the two major party's rules, "territories" are referred to as "states", which can be carried over in discussion and media implying there are more than 50 states. During the convention, there is generally a roll call of the votes. Each delegation announces its vote tallies, usually accompanied with some boosterism of their state or territory. The delegation may pass, nominally to retally their delegates' preferences, but often to allow
5520-470: The Des Moines Plan, comprising an elected mayor and four commissioners, all elected at-large , who were responsible for public works, public property, public safety, and finance. Considered progressive at the time, it diluted the votes of ethnic and national minorities, who generally could not command a majority to elect a candidate of their choice. That form of government was scrapped in 1950 in favor of
5640-588: The Des Moines Public Library, designed by renowned architect David Chipperfield of London, opened on April 8, 2006. The World Food Prize Foundation, which is based in Des Moines, completed adaptation and restoration of the former Des Moines Public Library building in October 2011. The former library now serves as the home and headquarters of the Norman Borlaug /World Food Prize Hall of Laureates. At
5760-717: The Des Moines River. Based on archaeological evidence, the junction of the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers has attracted humans for at least 7,000 years. Several prehistoric occupation areas have been identified by archaeologists in downtown Des Moines . Discovered in December 2010, the " Palace " is an expansive 7,000-year-old site found during excavations prior to construction of the new wastewater treatment plant in southeast Des Moines. It contains well-preserved house deposits and numerous graves. More than 6,000 artifacts were found at this site. State of Iowa archaeologist John Doershuk
5880-681: The Polk County Administrative Building, with a newer addition); and the City Hall are surviving examples of the 1900–1910 buildings. They form the Civic Center Historic District . The ornate riverfront balustrades that line the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers were built by the federal Civilian Conservation Corps in the mid-1930s, during the Great Depression under Democratic President Franklin D. Roosevelt , as
6000-411: The Republican candidate in the last presidential election. Each party's bylaws also specify which current and former elected officeholders and party leaders qualify as unpledged delegates. Because of possible deaths, resignations, or the results of intervening or special elections, the final number of these superdelegates may not be known until the week of the convention. The primary and caucus system
6120-542: The Republicans, it is considered a "firewall" to protect establishment favorites and frontrunners in the presidential nomination race, being designed to stop the momentum of insurgent candidates who could have received a boost from strong showings in Iowa and New Hampshire. From its inception in 1980 through the election of 2008 , the winner of the South Carolina Republican presidential primary has gone on to win
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#17328552537206240-532: The State of Iowa Historical Museum (1987). The Des Moines skywalk also began to take shape during the 1980s. The skywalk system is 4 miles (6.4 km) long and connects many downtown buildings. In the early 21st century, the city has had more major construction in the downtown area. The new Science Center of Iowa and Blank IMAX Dome Theater and the Iowa Events Center opened in 2005. The new central branch of
6360-411: The advantage of the bandwagon effect . Also, candidates can ignore primaries that fall after the nomination has already been secured, and would owe less to those states politically. As a result, rather than stretching from March to July, most primaries take place in a compressed time frame in February and March. National party leaders also have an interest in compressing the primary calendar, as it enables
6480-533: The age of 18 living with them, 43.7% were married couples living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.5% were non-families. 31.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 3.04. The age distribution was 24.8% under the age of 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 31.8% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age
6600-476: The ages of 18 and 24; 29.4% were from 25 to 44; 23.9% were from 45 to 64; and 11% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.9% male and 51.1% female. As of the 2000 census, there were 198,682 people, 80,504 households, and 48,704 families in the city. The population density was 2,621.3 inhabitants per square mile (1,012.1/km ). There were 85,067 housing units at an average density of 1,122.3 per square mile (433.3/km ). The racial makeup of
6720-420: The area, mining coal from the riverbank for the fort's blacksmith. Settlers occupied the abandoned fort and nearby areas. On May 25, 1846, the state legislature designated Fort Des Moines as the seat of Polk County. Arozina Perkins, a school teacher who spent the winter of 1850–1851 in the town of Fort Des Moines, was not favorably impressed: This is one of the strangest looking "cities" I ever saw... This town
6840-616: The case in both the Florida Democratic primary and the Florida Republican primary in 2008. The first binding event, in which a candidate can secure convention delegates, is traditionally the Iowa caucus , usually held in late January or early February of the presidential election year. It is generally followed by the New Hampshire primary , the first primary by tradition since 1920 and by New Hampshire state law. New Hampshire law states
6960-734: The center of North America and far removed from large bodies of water, the Des Moines area has a hot summer type humid continental climate ( Köppen Dfa ), with warm to hot, humid summers and cold, dry winters. Summer temperatures can often climb into the 90 °F (32 °C) range, occasionally reaching 100 °F (38 °C). Humidity can be high in spring and summer, with frequent afternoon thunderstorms . Fall brings pleasant temperatures and colorful fall foliage . Winters vary from moderately cold to bitterly cold, with low temperatures venturing below 0 °F (−18 °C) quite often. Snowfall averages 36.5 inches (93 cm) per season, and annual precipitation averages 36.55 inches (928 mm), with
7080-719: The city for unincorporated areas not merged with the city proper was 66.2% White , 15.5% African Americans , 0.5% Native American , 4.0% Asian , and 2.6% from Two or more races . People of Hispanic or Latino origin, of any race, made up 12.1% of the population. The city's racial make up during the 2010 census was 76.4% White , 10.2% African American , 0.5% Native American , 4.4% Asian (1.2% Vietnamese, 0.9% Laotian, 0.4% Burmese, 0.3% Asian Indian, 0.3% Thai, 0.2% Chinese, 0.2% Cambodian, 0.2% Filipino, 0.1% Hmong, 0.1% Korean, 0.1% Nepalese), 0.1% Pacific Islander , 5.0% from other races , and 3.4% from two or more races. People of Hispanic or Latino origin, of any race, formed 12.0% of
7200-432: The city included 252 people incarcerated in adult correctional facilities and 2,378 people in student housing. Of the 87,958 households, 28.0% had children under the age of 18; 35.5% were married couples living together; 31.3% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 35.3% of households consisted of individuals and 11.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size
7320-407: The city was 82.3% white , 8.07% Black , 0.35% American Indian , 3.50% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander , 3.52% from other races , and 2.23% from two or more races. 6.61% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 20.9% were of German , 10.3% Irish, 9.1% "American" and 8.0% English ancestry, according to Census 2000 . There were 80,504 households, out of which 29.5% had children under
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#17328552537207440-514: The construction of a fort on the site where the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers merge. Allen wanted to use the name Fort Raccoon; however, the U.S. War Department preferred Fort Des Moines. The fort was built to control the Sauk and Meskwaki peoples, whom the government had moved to the area from their traditional lands in eastern Iowa. The fort was abandoned in 1846 after the Sauk and Meskwaki were removed from
7560-426: The convention. By 1912, twelve states either selected delegates in primaries, used a preferential primary, or both. By 1920 there were 20 states with primaries, but some went back, and from 1936 to 1968, 12 states used them. The primary received its first major test in the 1912 election pitting incumbent president William Howard Taft against challengers Theodore Roosevelt and Robert La Follette . Roosevelt proved
7680-536: The core leaders in this partisanship: Hamilton became the leader of Federalist Party while Madison co-helmed the Democratic-Republican Party with Thomas Jefferson . Starting with the 1796 election , congressional party or a state legislature party caucus selected the party's presidential candidates. Before 1820, Democratic-Republican members of Congress would nominate a single candidate from their party. That system collapsed in 1824, and since 1832
7800-562: The current Democratic Party selection rules, adopted in 2006, pledged delegates are selected under proportional representation , which requires a candidate have a minimum of 15% of a state's popular vote to receive delegates. In addition, the Democratic Party may reject any candidate under their bylaws. Each state publishes a Delegate Selection Plan that notes the mechanics of calculating the number of delegates per congressional district , and how votes are transferred from local conventions to
7920-483: The dangers of domestic political factions . Thus in the first two presidential elections, the Electoral College handled the nominations and elections in 1789 and 1792 that selected George Washington . The beginnings of the American two-party system then emerged from Washington's immediate circle of advisors. Hamilton and Madison, who wrote the aforementioned Federalist Papers against political factions, ended up being
8040-418: The entire country east of the Des Moines River. Crops were utterly destroyed, houses and fences swept away." The city started to rebuild from scratch. On September 22, 1851, Des Moines was incorporated as a city; the charter was approved by voters on October 18. In 1857, the name "Fort Des Moines" was shortened to "Des Moines", and it was designated as the second state capital, previously at Iowa City . Growth
8160-531: The expense of smaller ones. Because the candidate's time is limited, paid advertising may play a greater role. Moreover, a compressed calendar limits the ability of lesser-known candidates to corral resources and raise their visibility among voters, especially when a better-known candidate enjoys the financial and institutional backing of the party establishment. In an article from Detroit News , Tennessee Senator William (Bill) Brock said about front-loading, "Today, too many people in too many states have no voice in
8280-464: The favored Robert A. Taft , "Mr. Republican." Also, Democrat Estes Kefauver defeated incumbent president Harry S. Truman , leading the latter to decide not to run for another term. The first-in-the-nation New Hampshire primary has since become a widely observed test of candidates' viability. The impetus for national adoption of the binding primary election was the chaotic 1968 Democratic National Convention . Vice President Hubert Humphrey secured
8400-443: The five U.S. Territories are instead assigned a fixed number of pledged delegates. States and territories get bonus delegates based on whether it (if applicable) has a Republican governor, it has GOP majorities in one or all chambers of its state legislature, whether one or both of its U.S. senators are Republican, it has a GOP majority in its delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives, and whether its electoral college votes went to
8520-421: The lowest insurance premium taxes in the nation at 1%, and does not charge any premium taxes on qualified life insurance plans, making the state attractive to insurance business. Des Moines has been referred to as the "Hartford of the West" and "Insurance Capital" because of this. Principal is one of two Fortune 500 companies with headquarters in Iowa (the other being Casey's General Stores ), ranking 201st on
8640-546: The magazine's list in 2020. As a center of financial and insurance services, other major corporations headquartered outside of Iowa have a presence in the Des Moines Metro area, including Wells Fargo , Voya Financial , and Electronic Data Systems (EDS). The Meredith Corporation , a leading publishing and marketing company, was also based in Des Moines prior to its acquisition by IAC and merger with Dotdash in 2021. Meredith published Better Homes and Gardens , one of
8760-571: The metropolitan area. In recent years, Microsoft , Hewlett-Packard , and Facebook have built data-processing and logistical facilities in the Des Moines area. Des Moines is an important city in U.S. presidential politics; as the state's capital, it is the site of the first caucuses of the presidential primary cycle. Many presidential candidates set up campaign headquarters in Des Moines. A 2007 article in The New York Times said, "If you have any desire to witness presidential candidates in
8880-491: The monks". One popular interpretation of "Des Moines" concludes that it refers to a group of French Trappist monks , who in the 17th century lived in huts built on top of what is now known as the ancient Monks Mound at Cahokia , the major center of Mississippian culture , which developed in what is present-day Illinois, east of the Mississippi River and the city of St. Louis . This was some 200 miles (320 km) from
9000-413: The most close-up and intimate of settings, there is arguably no better place to go than Des Moines." Des Moines takes its name from Fort Des Moines (1843–46), which was named for the Des Moines River . This was adopted from the name given by French colonists . Des Moines ( pronounced [de mwan] ; formerly [de mwɛn] ) translates literally to either "from the monks" or "of
9120-446: The most popular candidate, but as most primaries were non-binding "preference" shows and held in only fourteen of the-then forty-eight states, the Republican nomination went to Taft, who controlled the convention. Seeking to boost voter turnout , New Hampshire simplified its ballot access laws in 1949. In the ensuing non-binding "beauty contest" of 1952, Republican Dwight Eisenhower demonstrated his broad voter appeal by out-polling
9240-452: The most widely circulated publications in the United States. Des Moines was also the headquarters of Golf Digest magazine. Other major employers in Des Moines include UnityPoint Health , Mercy Medical Center , MidAmerican Energy Company , CDS Global , UPS , Firestone , Lumen Technologies , Drake University , Titan Tire , The Des Moines Register , Anderson Erickson , EMCO . United States presidential primary Each of
9360-456: The national average, and neither is in the fast-growing West or South . Conversely, states that traditionally hold their primaries in June, like California (the most populous state overall) and New Jersey (the most densely populated state), usually end up having no say in who the presidential candidate will be. As stated above , the races were usually over well before June. California and New Jersey moved their primaries to February for
9480-410: The national convention were usually selected at state conventions whose own delegates were chosen by district conventions. Sometimes they were dominated by intrigue between political bosses who controlled delegates; the national convention was far from democratic or transparent. Progressive Era reformers looked to the primary election as a way to measure popular opinion of candidates, as opposed to
9600-461: The nation—from June to March. To retain its tradition as the first primary in the country (and adhere to a state law which requires it to be), New Hampshire moved their primary forward, from early March to early January. A major reason states try to increase their influence, and vie for earlier primaries, is that in recent years the races have usually been decided before the primary season has ended in June. For example, John McCain officially clinched
9720-468: The nomination. In the 2012 Republican primaries , Newt Gingrich initially finished poorly in the early states, but then scored an upset victory in South Carolina over frontrunner Mitt Romney . However, after suffering a decisive defeat to Romney in Florida, Gingrich's campaign was relegated back to third place, leaving Rick Santorum as the main challenger to Romney for the rest of the primaries. In 2020,
9840-466: The opinion of the bosses. Florida enacted the first presidential primary in 1901. The Wisconsin direct open primary of 1905 was the first to eliminate the caucus and mandate direct selection of national convention delegates. In 1910, Oregon became the first state to establish a presidential preference primary, which requires delegates to the National Convention to support the winner of the primary at
9960-529: The party to reduce the chance of a bruising internecine battle and to preserve resources for the general campaign. In such a primary season, however, many primaries will fall on the same day, forcing candidates to choose where to spend their time and resources. Indeed, Super Tuesday was created deliberately to increase the influence of the South. When states cannot agree to coordinate primaries, however, attention flows to larger states with large numbers of delegates at
10080-429: The population (9.4% Mexican, 0.7% Salvadoran, 0.3% Guatemalan, 0.3% Puerto Rican, 0.1% Honduran, 0.1% Ecuadorian, 0.1% Cuban, 0.1% Spaniard, 0.1% Spanish). Non-Hispanic Whites were 70.5% of the population in 2010. Des Moines also has a sizeable South Sudanese community. There were 81,369 households, of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.9% were married couples living together, 14.2% had
10200-412: The poverty line, including 14.9% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those ages 65 or over. Many insurance companies are headquartered in Des Moines, including the Principal Financial Group , EMC Insurance Group, Fidelity & Guaranty Life , Allied Insurance , GuideOne Insurance , Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Iowa, FBL Financial Group , and American Republic Insurance Company. Iowa has one of
10320-516: The practice was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court in the 2000 case of California Democratic Party v. Jones as violating the freedom of assembly guaranteed by the First Amendment . Both the Democratic Party and the Republican Party usually modify their delegate selection rules between presidential elections, including how delegates are allocated to each state and territory. Under
10440-627: The preferred mechanism for nomination has been a national convention . The first national convention to nominate a presidential candidate was called by the Anti-Masonic Party in 1831, as they could not use the caucus system because they had no congressmen. The party leaders instead called for a national meeting of supporters to set the party's candidate. This convention was held in Baltimore, Maryland , on September 26, 1831, which selected William Wirt as their presidential candidate. Delegates to
10560-485: The presidential nomination despite not winning a single primary under his own name. After this, a Democratic National Committee -commissioned panel led by Senator George McGovern – the McGovern–Fraser Commission – recommended that states adopt new rules to assure wider participation. A large number of states, faced with the need to conform to more detailed rules for the selection of national delegates, chose
10680-567: The primaries and caucuses, state delegations to both the Democratic and Republican conventions also include "unpledged" delegates who have a vote. For Republicans, they consist of the three top party officials who serve At Large from each state and territory. Democrats have a more expansive group of unpledged delegates called " superdelegates ", who are party leaders and elected officials. If no single candidate has secured an absolute majority of delegates (including both pledged and unpledged), then
10800-526: The primary shall be held "on the Tuesday at least seven days immediately preceding the date on which any other state shall hold a similar election." The Iowa caucuses are not considered to be "a similar election" under New Hampshire's law because the former uses caucuses instead of primary elections. Should any other state move its primary too close to New Hampshire's, or before, the New Hampshire secretary of state
10920-431: The primary system, states have tried to increase their influence in the nomination process. One tactic has been to create geographic blocs to encourage candidates to spend time in a region. Vermont and Massachusetts attempted to stage a joint New England primary on the first Tuesday of March, but New Hampshire refused to participate so it could retain its traditional place as the first primary. The first regional primary
11040-402: The primary; where it does not, party rules prevail. Since the 1970s, states have held increasingly early primaries to maximize their leverage (see Front-loading and compression below). In reaction to these moves, both the Democratic and Republican National Committees imposed a timing tier system of scheduling rules, stripping states of delegates if they move their primaries early, such as
11160-565: The property. During this time, INHF will lend technical and professional assistance to these agencies, as well as work to restore native ecosystems. INHF works directly with landowners to make sure that the transaction meets their wishes. INHF staff will meet with landowners to negotiate the sale or donation of their land, as well as the transfer to whatever agency will retain permanent ownership. In most cases, project sites that INHF assists with will become public land, open for exploration, hunting, fishing, camping and other activities, depending on
11280-478: The racial counts and placed in their own category) was 60.99% (130,599) White alone (non-Hispanic) , 11.46% (24,538) Black alone (non-Hispanic) , 0.28% (597) Native American alone (non-Hispanic) , 6.70% (14,348) Asian alone (non-Hispanic) , 0.06% (124) Pacific Islander alone (non-Hispanic) , 0.38% (817) Other Race alone (non-Hispanic) , 4.50% (9,630) Multiracial or Mixed Race (non-Hispanic) , and 15.64% (33,480) Hispanic or Latino . The 2020 census population of
11400-506: The realization that Iowa and New Hampshire were not representative of the rest of the country. Following the 2004 election, then- Senate majority leader Harry Reid began making a case for Nevada as the perfect American microcosm . Since 2012, the Nevada caucuses have been the third race in the process after Iowa and New Hampshire. South Carolina is generally the "First in the South " primary. For
11520-457: The remains of the old dragoon houses... The people support two papers and there are several dry goods shops. I have been into but four of them... Society is as varied as the buildings are. There are people from nearly every state, and Dutch, Swedes, etc. In May 1851, much of the town was destroyed during the Flood of 1851 . "The Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers rose to an unprecedented height, inundating
11640-576: The results of primaries and caucuses. The remaining 15% are unpledged superdelegates (consisting of sitting Democratic governors, sitting Democratic members of Congress [i.e., senators and representatives], former and current Democratic presidents and vice presidents, and a few leaders of Democratic National Committee-affiliated organizations, such as the Young Democrats of America ) who can vote for whomever they wish. Some superdelegates are former or current state or federal lobbyists. In 2016, following
11760-438: The same candidate. In a proportional vote , a state's delegation is allocated in proportion to the candidates' percent of the popular vote in a congressional district. In many of those states that have proportional vote primaries, a candidate must meet a certain threshold in the popular vote to be given delegates. Some states may use a binding walking subcaucus system, where voters may instead be choosing pledged delegates to
11880-530: The scale of vice and degradation, than all their intercourse with the whites for the ten years previous". After official removal , the Meskwaki continued to return to Des Moines until around 1857. Archaeological excavations have shown that many fort-related features survived under what is now Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway and First Street. Soldiers stationed at Fort Des Moines opened the first coal mines in
12000-534: The site. INHF also works with landowners to protect their land through conservation easements, in which a landowner relinquishes certain rights to all or part of his or her property (e.g. farming or mining), while still retaining ownership. INHF and the private owners develop a legally binding agreement regarding which property uses will be allowed or restricted. This agreement applies to the current owner and all future owners. Des Moines, Iowa Des Moines ( / d ə ˈ m ɔɪ n / də- MOYN )
12120-530: The state and national convention. Since the 2012 Democratic primaries, the number of pledged delegates allocated to each of the 50 U.S. states and Washington, D.C., is based on two main factors: (1) the proportion of votes each state gave to the Democratic candidate in the last three presidential elections, and (2) the number of electoral votes each state has in the United States Electoral College . The U.S. Territories of American Samoa , Guam ,
12240-545: The state and shifted to the Indian Territory. The Sauk and Meskwaki did not fare well in Des Moines. The illegal whiskey trade, combined with the destruction of traditional lifeways, led to severe problems for their society. One newspaper reported: "It is a fact that the location of Fort Des Moines among the Sac and Fox Indians (under its present commander) for the last two years, had corrupted them more and lowered them deeper in
12360-409: The states that traditionally hold their respective contests first, the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary usually attract the most media attention; however, critics, such as Mississippi secretary of state Eric Clark and Tennessee senator William Brock, point out that these states are not representative of the United States as a whole: they are more overwhelmingly white , rural, and wealthy than
12480-452: The statewide winner-take-all method (e.g., New York ), district- and state-level winner-take-all (e.g., California ), or proportional allocation (e.g., Massachusetts ). Changes in the rules before 2012 brought proportional representation to more states. The number of Republican pledged delegates allocated to each of the 50 U.S. states is 10 at-large delegates, plus three district delegates for each congressional district. Washington, D.C., and
12600-662: The system over broadly a 90-day window. Where state legislatures set the primary or caucus date, sometimes the out-party in that state has endured penalties in the number of delegates it can send to the national convention. There is no provision for the role of political parties in the United States Constitution , since the Founding Fathers did not originally intend for American politics to be partisan. In Federalist Papers No. 9 and No. 10 , Alexander Hamilton and James Madison , respectively, wrote specifically about
12720-487: The top of the calendar, but this proposal never gained approval, so those two states remain as the first two contests. New Hampshire also fought back by obliging candidates who wanted to campaign in the state to pledge to uphold that primary as the first one. States vie for earlier primaries to claim greater influence in the nomination process, as the early primaries can act as a signal to the nation, showing which candidates are popular and giving those who perform well early on
12840-593: The turn of the 20th century, encouraged by the Civic Committee of the Des Moines Women's Club , Des Moines undertook a " City Beautiful " project in which large Beaux Arts public buildings and fountains were constructed along the Des Moines River. The former Des Moines Public Library building (now the home of the World Food Prize ); the United States central Post Office , built by the federal government (now
12960-506: Was $ 33,699 (+/- $ 740). Approximately, 12.1% of families and 16.0% of the population were below the poverty line , including 24.3% of those under the age of 18 and 9.8% of those ages 65 or over. As of the census of 2010, there were 203,433 people, 81,369 households, and 47,491 families residing in the city. Population density was 2,515.6 inhabitants per square mile (971.3/km ). There were 88,729 housing units at an average density of 1,097.2 per square mile (423.6/km ). The racial makeup of
13080-605: Was 2,428.4 per square mile (937.6/km ). There were 95,082 housing units at an average density of 1,078.3 per square mile (416.3/km ). The racial makeup (including Hispanics in the racial counts) was 64.54% (138,200) white or European American (60.99% non-Hispanic white ), 11.68% (25,011) black or African-American , 0.69% (1,474) Native American or Alaska Native , 6.76% (14,474) Asian , 0.06% (135) Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian , 6.62% (14,178) from other races , and 9.65% (20,661) from two or more races . The racial and ethnic makeup (where Hispanics are excluded from
13200-441: Was 2.5 and the average family size was 3.3. The percent of those with a bachelor's degree or higher was estimated to be 19.9% of the population. Of the population age 25 and over, 86.7% were high school graduates or higher and 27.9% had a bachelor's degree or higher. 23.5% of the population was under the age of 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% were 65 years of age or older. The median age
13320-405: Was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.5 males. The median income for a household in the city was $ 38,408, and the median income for a family was $ 46,590. Males had a median income of $ 31,712 versus $ 25,832 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 19,467. About 7.9% of families and 11.4% of the population were below
13440-473: Was 34.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.7 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 104.4 males. The 2016-2020 5-year American Community Survey estimates show that the median household income was $ 54,843 (with a margin of error of +/- $ 1,544) and the median family income was $ 66,420 (+/- $ 1,919). Males had a median income of $ 38,326 (+/- $ 1,405) versus $ 29,855 (+/- $ 1,327) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old
13560-520: Was a major proponent of moving that state's caucuses to January, arguing that Nevada would be the perfect American microcosm : its western location, significant minority population, and strong labor population would be more representative of the country as a whole than Iowa and New Hampshire. Both parties then enacted stricter timing rules for 2016: primaries and caucuses cannot start until February 1; and only Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada are entitled to February contests. Because they are
13680-558: Was about 1.7% of the city's population in 1910. By 1880, Des Moines had a population of 22,408, making it Iowa's largest city. It displaced the three Mississippi River ports: Burlington, Dubuque, and Davenport, that had alternated holding the position since the territorial period. Des Moines has remained Iowa's most populous city. In 1910, the Census Bureau reported Des Moines' population as 97.3% white and 2.7% black, reflecting its early settlement pattern primarily by ethnic Europeans. At
13800-504: Was assisted by University of Iowa archaeologists at this dig. At least three Late Prehistoric villages, dating from about AD 1300 to 1700, stood in or near what developed later as downtown Des Moines. In addition, 15 to 18 prehistoric Native American mounds were observed in the area by early settlers. All have been destroyed during development of the city. Des Moines traces its origins to May 1843, when Captain James Allen supervised
13920-611: Was built in 1991, and the 19-story EMC Insurance Building was erected in 1997. During this time period, the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines (1979) was developed; it hosts Broadway shows and special events. Also constructed were the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden (1979), a large city botanical garden/greenhouse on the east side of the river; the Polk County Convention Complex (1985), and
14040-526: Was recorded in 1960), as highway construction led to new residential construction outside the city. The population was 198,682 in 2000 and grew slightly to 200,538 in 2009. The growth of the outlying suburbs has continued, and the overall metropolitan-area population is over 700,000 today. During the Great Flood of 1993 , heavy rains throughout June and early July caused the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers to rise above flood stage levels. The Des Moines Water Works
14160-628: Was slow during the Civil War period, but the city exploded in size and importance after a railroad link was completed in 1866. In 1864, the Des Moines Coal Company was organized to begin the first systematic mining in the region. Its first mine, north of town on the river's west side, was exhausted by 1873. The Black Diamond mine, near the south end of the West Seventh Street Bridge, sank a 150-foot (46 m) mine shaft to reach
14280-440: Was submerged by floodwaters during the early morning hours of July 11, 1993, leaving an estimated 250,000 people without running water for 12 days and without drinking water for 20 days. Des Moines suffered major flooding again in June 2008 with a major levee breach. The Des Moines River is controlled upstream by Saylorville Reservoir . In both 1993 and 2008, the flooding river overtopped the reservoir spillway. Today, Des Moines
14400-548: Was the Southern Super Tuesday of March 8, 1988, in which nine states united in the idea that a candidate would reflect regional interests. It failed as all but two of the eight major candidates won at least one primary on that day. Another trend is to stage earlier and earlier primaries, given impetus by Super Tuesday and the mid-1990s move (since repealed) of the California primary and its bloc of votes—the largest in
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