The candidates are prepared to invite the delegates to small meetings where they can interact with them face-to-face.

"It's a big day because it sets the field of 1,200 delegates in the 3rd Congressional District," Leavitt said. "For the next six weeks, we'll be working inside the body of 1,200 delegates. Hopefully, most of those delegates will have open minds, will gravitate to the candidate whose message resonates with them. There's also a number of delegates who know who they will vote for the minute they get elected, but it will be hard to know how many of those there are."

The state Republican Party has promised to release a list of the delegates to the candidates within 48 hours.

"Tonight is huge," Chaffetz said. "We've been working for months to teach people how to become state delegates and to encourage those who are pro-Jason Chaffetz to get out and run."

Utah's caucus system is an American rarity — and remains obscure even here. That means candidates have to do more than just recruit supporters.

"We're really trying to turn our grass-roots effort into a grass fire," he said. "Most people don't know the system, so it seems intimidating. It's really just a matter of encouraging supporters to show up and have them encourage others in the neighborhood to show up."

Election 2008

All registered voters are welcome at their party's precinct meeting. Locations are available at www.utgop.org and www.utdemocrats.org.

Combined, more than 4,000 Republican and Democratic caucus meetings are scheduled tonight.

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E-mail: twalch@desnews.com