Thursday, February 4, 2016

Des Moines Register calls for Audit of Dem Caucus


Iowa's largest newspaper called Thursday for an audit into the results of the state's Democratic caucus, pointing to confusion and problems at numerous polling sites -- and declaring “something smells in the Democratic Party.”

The Des Moines Register, in an editorial, wrote that “once again the world is laughing at Iowa” over alleged discrepancies and disorganization surrounding caucus results and called the process a “debacle.”

The editorial pointed in part to Hillary Clinton's razor-thin margin of victory over Sen. Bernie Sanders in seeking an audit.

The battle for first between her and Sanders was so tight the winner was not declared until Tuesday, with less than half a percentage point separating the two. In some precincts, local delegates were even decided by a series of coin tosses, though the effect may have been negligible on the final tallies of what are known as state delegate equivalents.

But other issues were reported as well.

“Too many accounts have arisen of inconsistent counts, untrained and overwhelmed volunteers, confused voters, cramped precinct locations, a lack of voter registration forms and other problems. Too many of us, including members of the Register editorial board who were observing caucuses, saw opportunities for error amid Monday night’s chaos,” the editorial board said.

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