Democratic primary results lag behind in Iowa

It's the grand bazaar in Iowa. At 11:30 p.m. local time (6:30 a.m. Paris time), the results of the first Democratic primary ballot were still pending. The Democratic Party explained that the delay was due to checks after finding "irregularities". Suddenly, the candidates launched into speeches without knowing the results of an evening which seemed to turn to the advantage of Bernie Sanders and Pete Buttigieg, with a Joe Biden undoubtedly outdistanced. The results may not be known until morning.

The Democratic Party has assured that the software used to compile the results was neither hacked nor crashed as claimed by some media and the Joe Biden campaign. The organizers carried out checks to ensure "quality control" after irregularities.

Archaic system

In this great confusion, it was Amy Klobuchar who was the most clever when speaking first to her enthusiastic supporters. Joe Biden followed suit, in a rather gloomy atmosphere, repeating: “We cannot afford to have a second term from Donald Trump. It is a battle for the soul of our nation. »Radically different atmosphere at Elizabeth Warren then at Bernie Sanders, who spoke in front of wild fans, like Pete Buttigieg.

Joe's about to take the stage in Des Moines, Iowa. Tune in to watch live: https://t.co/x7RDw4dS17

I'm speaking live in Des Moines as we await results of the Iowa Caucus. Thank you so much to all those who came out to support our campaign today! https://t.co/ElGWNAdTJ9

We're just getting started. Tune in as we go live from Des Moines. https://t.co/gUamHmeH2I

Why such a mess? In Iowa, counting ballots is not enough. This Midwestern state still uses an archaic system, the caucus, in which the voters of each polling station come together in groups. After a first round, candidates below a certain threshold are eliminated, then their voters are flirted to join groups that are still viable. In several polling stations, ties had to be decided by… heads or tails or by a draw to determine the winner.

The coin toss pic.twitter.com/qvJ8ZHlsVk

It came down to a coin toss at the precinct at Hills Elementary in rural Johnson County. With only one delegate they needed 50% to win. Warren carried the day. #IACaucus pic.twitter.com/Cgv5kA391C

Whatever happens, Iowa represents only a drop of water, with 41 delegates allocated out of nearly 4,000 at stake in the Democratic primary. But the dynamics of an opening victory can go a long way: out of the last ten Democratic primaries, six candidates who finished first in Iowa won the nomination.

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