Iowa Democrats face criticism over missteps at caucus sites

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Four years after the Iowa Republican Party was criticized for mishandling an extremely close caucus, Democratic Party leaders faced similar scrutiny Tuesday over how they and their volunteers handled the state's signature political event.

Surprised by the higher-than-expected turnout, organizers reported overcrowded meeting rooms and delays caused by long lines of people registering to vote.

Clinton was named the winner after winning by less than four "state delegate equivalents" out of 1,405, the measurement the party uses to calculate caucus-goers' preferences.

Sanders spokesman Tad Devine said his campaign does not have "any plan or intention" to challenge the results, citing Sanders comments from Monday that the race appears to have ended in "a virtual tie."

Activist Julie Stauch of West Des Moines, a Clinton backer, said she heard similar "horror stories" about voter check-ins and registrations being poorly managed and rooms that were packed.