npr:

Voting in the Democratic presidential nominating contest is about to kick off Monday with the Iowa caucuses.

The stakes are high in Iowa — the last four Democratic nominees have all won the Hawkeye State. But after about a year of campaigning and $50 million spent here by the candidates, the outcome is unclear.

Here are some answers to key questions about the caucuses.

When are the Iowa caucuses?

7 p.m. CT/8 p.m. ET

How long should they last?

About an hour, maybe less this year, because of a rules change where there are only two rounds of caucusing.

When should we expect results?

The first results are expected to start coming in by 8:45 p.m. ET or so. It could take longer if results are close.

Iowa Is About To Reshape The Presidential Race — Here’s What You Need To Know

Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images