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By Sheena Dooley | Iowa Watchdog
Iowa Republican caucus
DES MOINES – Iowan Republicans are looking to retool party caucus procedures to avoid the miscounts made during the 2012 caucuses.
The party now wants official results reported within 72 hours, while allowing close races more time with close races taking ??? longer, a Republican committee recommended this week. Their proposals will go to the GOP’s state central committee, which will ultimately change or adopt them.
In addition, Republicans want to require statewide results be reported to media at the same time, with the party declining to declare a winner on caucus night if the top finishers are within a 1 percent margin.
Republicans hope to repeat mistakes this year that led to the GOP declaring presidential candidate Mitt Romney the winner, when instead it was found his rival Rick Santorum won the state after a recount.
Caucus Review Committee Chairman Bill Schickel could not be immediately reached, but has publicly said there isn’t a sense of urgency behind the reform and the committee should take its time in reviewing the matter.
