The Des Moines Register is calling for a "complete audit" of the Iowa Democratic caucus on Monday after presidential candidate Hillary Clinton edged out Sen. Bernie Sanders by a razor-thin margin of just 0.2 percent, a margin that would typically trigger recounts in other states, The Hill reports.
"Once again the world is laughing at Iowa. Late-night comedians and social media mavens are having a field day with jokes about missing caucus-goers and coin flips," the
Register's editorial board wrote on Wednesday night.
"That's fine. We can take ribbing over our quirky process. But what we can't stomach is even the whiff of impropriety or error," the editorial board continued.
Because the caucuses are run differently than the usual primary process — voters physically arrange themselves around the room to signal their support — the Hill notes that a full recount would be impossible, and a Democratic official confirmed to The Hill Monday night that there is no recount provision.
According to the Hill, while Sanders' campaign has called on the party to release the raw vote totals at each precinct and has accused the party of "failing to staff precincts with independent staffers," the Register is also "calling for a full audit, which would include a release of raw vote totals, the results of coin tosses, and more information."
"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," the Register said.
"Too many of us, including members of the Register editorial board who were observing caucuses, saw opportunities for error amid Monday night's chaos."
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