The Reno Gazette-Journal has a new poll, on the heels of this month’s Democratic debate, showing “only” 33 percent of those surveyed said they would definitely or probably attend their party’s caucus, while 39 percent said they may not or will not participate.

At first blush, the number seems low, hence the use of the word “only.” But, if the poll can be trusted (and that’s a big if, because polling for a caucus is notoriously difficult, especially given the fact that Nevada has never undertaken a wide-scale presidential caucus), the state is in good shape for the Jan. 19 caucuses.

Even in Iowa, whose caucus has led the presidential primary pack since 1972, turnout typically runs between 6 percent and 10 percent. In 2004, the state’s Democratic caucus attracted 124,000 voters, or roughly 23 percent of registered Democrats, representing the highest turnout in Iowa caucus history.

According to the Reno poll, 19 percent of Democrats said they will definitely attend the caucus. Another 21 percent said they would probably attend. Republicans were less likely to participate in their party’s caucus.

More good news for the caucuses: Sixty-six percent of those polled said they are following the campaign, compared with the 47 percent who were paying attention in August.

Another interesting finding: While 46 percent of Democrats surveyed said it was important or very important for presidential candidates to visit Nevada regularly before the Jan. 19 caucus, 30 percent said regular visits were either not very important or not at all important. Another 24 percent said they weren’t sure.

Translation: Nevadans’ demands to see candidates in the flesh are considerably lower than those of voters in the other early states — and the campaigns’ schedules, for a variety of reasons, reflect that reality.

Earlier this month, we looked at interest in the caucus among those most likely to participate: older voters. According to an AARP Nevada poll taken in August, just 15 percent of the state’s Democratic-leaning AARP members said they were “absolutely certain” they would attend the Democratic caucus. The group later announced that it had been forced to scrap plans for a second survey to be released this month because it couldn’t find enough likely caucus-goers to poll.

AARP Nevada attributed the low numbers to a lack of awareness about the caucus among older voters, and the group, along with the Nevada Democratic Party, has pledged to raise the caucus’ profile in the run-up to Jan. 19. The work is critical. According to this report, in 2004, a full 64 percent of Iowa caucus voters were 55 years of age or older.

Check out this piece in the New Yorker for a better understanding of why participation is significantly lower for caucuses than primaries. No early voting. No absentee balloting. No secret ballots. Lots of public horse-trading.