AMES, IOWA -- Republican presidential candidate and Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann has won the Iowa Straw Poll.

This is the first indication of what voters think of the GOP presidential field and which candidate has the best get-out-the-vote organization.

The result comes five months before Iowa holds the caucuses that kick off the Republican nomination season.
     
Nine candidates were on the ballot. But not all competed. Mitt Romney, the GOP front-runner in national polls, and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman sat it out. And supporters to Texas Gov. Rick Perry and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin waged write-in campaigns.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.