By: Ally Kaiser, Senior
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After many days of delay, the Iowa caucus results are finally in. To those who are unsure of how the caucuses work, here is a quick explanation. Voters at each caucus area group together with other voters who support the same candidate. If a candidate receives less than 15 percent of the vote, his/her supporters must find a new candidate to caucus with or declare themselves “uncommitted.” After this "final expression of preference," a calculation determines how many delegates each candidate gets. The candidate with the most delegates at the end of the night is declared the Iowa caucus winner.
This year, there was a delay in the results. This was due to a malfunction in the app, which was being used for the first time. Reports claim that the app was prepared on short notice and was not truly ready for use.
The winner of this year’s Iowa caucus was a close call until the very end. However, former Mayor Pete Buttigieg received 26.2 percent of the vote, earning 14 delegates and winning the caucus. Close behind him was Senator Bernie Sanders, who received 26.1 percent of the vote and 12 delegates. The next candidate, Senator Elizabeth Warren, received 18 percent and obtained eight delegates. Behind her was former Vice President Joe Biden, with 15.8 percent of the vote and 6 delegates. The last candidate to receive any delegates was Senator Amy Klobuchar, who gained 12.3 percent and 1 delegate.
The next primary is in New Hampshire on February 11. Results from these early primary states are often thought to predict the Democratic nominee for president, so they are closely followed by many.
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