Selection on the Republican side is done with a straw vote of those attending.

BBC: Caucus

The straw vote is Saturday night, with results expected Sunday.

CNN: Southern Republicans Gather For A Straw Poll

Mr Straw is also legislating to ban political donations from people not registered to vote.

ECONOMIST: British nationals abroad

But a recalcitrant Mr Straw could have sought to delay the referendum, or to suggest multiple options to split the reform vote.

ECONOMIST: What's Cooking?

Justice Secretary Jack Straw told The World At One he thought that just 10% of voters being able to trigger a recall vote via a petition was "too low" a threshold.

BBC: Should MPs suffer total recall?

He topped a straw poll held at the end of the three-day Conservative Political Action Conference, with 38% of the vote.

BBC: Mitt Romney narrowly wins Maine Republican caucuses