The decision to declare Hillary Clinton the winner of the Iowa Democratic caucuses this week has the Des Moines Register, the state’s biggest newspaper, calling for an “audit” of the results.
Clinton won the state Monday by less than one third of one percent over rival Bernie Sanders, and only after several precincts broke voter ties by flipping coins. But since then, videos have surfaced online of chaoctic caucus venues that appear understaffed with volunteers.
“[T]oo many questions have been raised,” the Des Moines Register editorial board said Wednesday night. “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 paper, which has endorsed Clinton for the nomination, said state Democratic Party should “work with all the campaigns to audit results. Break silly party tradition and release the raw vote totals. Provide a list of each precinct coin flip and its outcome … Be transparent.”
The Iowa Democratic Party has declined to conduct a recount of the vote, according to an Associated Press report on Tuesday.
