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Ky. Republican Caucus Approaches Sans Sen. Paul

In this Feb. 1, 2016 photo, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky, waits to speak during a caucus night victory party at the Scottish Rite Consistory in Des Moines, Iowa. Paul is dropping out of the 2016 race for president. A campaign spokeswoman confirmed his decision Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2016, to The Associated Press, saying a statement would be forthcoming. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)
AP
In this Feb. 1, 2016 photo, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky, waits to speak during a caucus night victory party at the Scottish Rite Consistory in Des Moines, Iowa. Paul is dropping out of the 2016 race for president. A campaign spokeswoman confirmed his decision Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2016, to The Associated Press, saying a statement would be forthcoming. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

In less than two weeks, Republican voters in Kentucky will head to the state’s first presidential caucus in more than three decades, but the process won’t be much different from a typical primary election.

In this Feb. 1, 2016 photo, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky, waits to speak during a caucus night victory party at the Scottish Rite Consistory in Des Moines, Iowa. Paul is dropping out of the 2016 race for president. A campaign spokeswoman confirmed his decision Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2016, to The Associated Press, saying a statement would be forthcoming. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)
Credit AP
In this Feb. 1, 2016 photo, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky, waits to speak during a caucus night victory party at the Scottish Rite Consistory in Des Moines, Iowa. Paul is dropping out of the 2016 race for president. A campaign spokeswoman confirmed his decision Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2016, to The Associated Press, saying a statement would be forthcoming. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

For curious voters expecting lively election day speeches, coin tosses, and campaign operatives herding them into different corners, the commonwealth’s upcoming Republican caucus may seem a little anticlimactic.

"It'll feel familiar in the sense that voters will arrive, show an ID to a trained caucus official, receive a ballot where they sign in, vote for that one office - the only thing on the ballot is the Republican nominee for president - and then cast their ballot," Republican Party of Kentucky Executive Director Mike Biagi tells cn|2. "The whole thing could take a few minutes."

Caucus-goers will notice one difference, however: campaigns are free to actively engage with them in a last-minute bid for votes - and the state's 46 delegates. The earlier election day could draw some GOP hopefuls to the state as well.

Formed to accommodate dual campaigns by Kentucky U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, who dropped out after a poor showing in the Iowa caucuses, the presidential preference contest run from 10 am to 4 pm on Saturday, March 5th. All 11 candidates who signed up for the caucus will remain on the ballot, but voters will be reminded which have suspended their campaigns.

To be eligible, caucus attendees must have been registered Republican by December 31, 2015.

For more information on where to caucus, click here.

Copyright 2016 WUKY

Josh James fell in love with college radio at Western Kentucky University's student station, New Rock 92 (now known as Revolution 91.7). After working as a DJ and Program Director, he knew he wanted to come home to Lexington and try his hand in public radio.