Bernie Sanders
Related: About this forumDes Moines Register calls for audit of caucus results
Once again the world is laughing at Iowa. Late-night comedians and social media mavens are having a field day with jokes about missing caucusgoers and coin flips.
Thats fine. We can take ribbing over our quirky process. But what we cant stomach is even the whiff of impropriety or error.
What happened Monday night at the Democratic caucuses was a debacle, period. Democracy, particularly at the local party level, can be slow, messy and obscure. But the refusal to undergo scrutiny or allow for an appeal reeks of autocracy.
The Iowa Democratic Party must act quickly to assure the accuracy of the caucus results, beyond a shadow of a doubt.
First of all, the results were too close not to do a complete audit of results. Two-tenths of 1 percent separated Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton. A caucus should not be confused with an election, but its worth noting that much larger margins trigger automatic recounts in other states.
Second, too many questions have been raised. 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 nights chaos.
Continued: http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/editorials/caucus/2016/02/03/editorial-something-smells-democratic-party/79777580/
StandingInLeftField
(972 posts)I really didn't think the DMR would push this. Not sure what their agenda might be, but I'm all for tying up loose ends.
Erich Bloodaxe BSN
(14,733 posts)but I'm glad they want to make sure there's not even the 'appearance of impropriety' about their process.
jillan
(39,451 posts)polly7
(20,582 posts)were set up as they should be only to find out too late they were not. I don't think it's only the results that should be audited - but the whole night and process scrutinized as well. jmho.
postin4Bern
(64 posts)Time to do away with the caucus and, as far as I'm concerned, the electoral college.
While I'm dreaming: It would also be nice to do away with computer-assisted voting.
Let's get back to the simple paper version of "one person--one vote".
****Look up how Oregon votes as a shining example.
99th_Monkey
(19,326 posts)unfortunately however, it's my understanding that the Dem Caucus's don't record
individual votes on slips of paper (as to the Republicans), so I'm not sure how there
could be any kind of meaningful 'recount'.
blackspade
(10,056 posts)Rather, they would like to see the voting tabulations for each precinct which so far the state party has refused to release.
99th_Monkey
(19,326 posts)their tabulations. That kinda sucks, and makes one wonder ..
blackspade
(10,056 posts)Why would the party refuse (besides the party chair is in the tank for HRC)?
The Sanders Campaign did their own counts and would like to see how the two match up.
It looks like the DMR would too.
On edit: it appears that I was incorrect. The Party has released the numbers, although I saw at least one report that said they had refused....I guess we will see what shakes out if anything.
winter is coming
(11,785 posts)not the raw vote. Without the raw numbers, there's no way of knowing if the tabulations are correct.
blackspade
(10,056 posts)winter is coming
(11,785 posts)My understanding is that in many, if not all, of the precincts, the raw vote was recorded on paper, and then calculations were done. If the raw vote on a precinct level is released, the calculations can be checked to see if the math was done correctly and the right numbers were put into the app. I'd be amazed and impressed if there were no typos or arithmetic mistakes.