• A Ward is the equivalent of a parish. Mormon congregations are organized strictly by geography. At any Mormon chapel you might pass there are typically 2 to 4 wards that meet there. So, for example, in my Virginia suburb of Ashburn there are 4 wards. We all meet in the same building on Sunday and throughout the week. Each ward is comprised of roughly 400-600 members. A Branch is a smaller congregation that you might find in remote areas or that caters to ethnic groups (for example, a "Spanish Branch").
  
• A Stake comprises about 9-12 wards (Think of "tent stake"). This is the local leadership structure that helps with regional activities and needs.
  
• Mormons will sometimes refer to "active" and "inactive" members. Wards and Stakes track the "activity rate" (% of the ward that regularly attend Sunday meetings). This can range between 40% and 70%. As I understand it Iowa activity rates are somewhere between 50% and 60%.
• In Iowa there are 7 stakes; 35 wards; 32 branches with roughly 22,000 members.
• Potential caucus goers? When you subtract the number of eligible voters (Mormons have a lot of kids), take a chunk away for "inactive" members, and the narrow down that group to registered voters you get about 10,000 potential caucus goers. But Mormons love football as much as the next guy (the Orange Bowl happens to be that night with Kansas playing) and even with "their guy" in the race I wouldn't expect a dramatic 90% turnout from the Mormon base.
  
• Also, consider, this isn't a lockstep vote. I know plenty of Mormons who are die hard Ron Paul fans.
  

Labels: iowa, iowa caucus, Mormon