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[[File:JoeBiden.jpg|thumb|180px|right|Former Vice-President and presidential hopeful Joe Biden]]

[[File:Bootyjudge panderig.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Pete Buttigieg (center), disputed winner of the Iowa caucus.]]

The '''2020 Iowa Democratic caucuses''' were the first nominating contest in the [[Democratic Party]]'s series of presidential primaries for the [[2020 presidential election]]. They took place in [[Iowa]] on Monday, February 3, 2020. Typically, as has frequently been the case in past election cycles, the winner of the caucus is expected to have a significant advantage for the next stage of the primaries.

The '''2020 Iowa Democratic caucuses''' were the first nominating contest in the [[Democratic Party]]'s series of presidential primaries for the [[2020 presidential election]]. They took place in [[Iowa]] on Monday, February 3, 2020. Typically, as has frequently been the case in past election cycles, the winner of the caucus is expected to have a significant advantage for the next stage of the primaries.

==Caucus Results==

==Caucus Results==

 

Traditionally, results of the Iowa caucuses are known and verified on the same night they are held, usually within a few hours. This was not the case with the 2020 Democratic caucuses, however, as results from the various precincts failed to be announced. The lag in reporting was blamed on technical difficulties--unlike in the past when paper ballots and direct telephone calls to party headquarters had been used to verify results, for 2020 the Iowa Democratic Party used an "app" for the communication of results. Reports of difficulties experienced by precinct chairmen in using the app surfaced even before the beginning of the caucus vote on Monday evening, and following the vote, many of them were unable to send the results at all.  

Traditionally, results of the Iowa caucuses are known and verified on the same night they are held, usually within a few hours. This was not the case with the 2020 Democratic caucuses, however, as results from the various precincts failed to be announced. The lag in reporting was blamed on technical difficulties--unlike in the past when paper ballots and direct telephone calls to party headquarters had been used to verify results, for 2020 the Iowa Democratic Party used an "app" for the communication of results. Reports of difficulties experienced by precinct chairmen in using the app surfaced even before the beginning of the caucus vote on Monday evening, and following the vote, many of them were unable to send the results at all.  

Late Monday night, the Iowa Democratic Party announced it would conduct a "quality control" on the vote count "out of an abundance of caution," and that announcement of the final results would be postponed. Partial results were not released until the following afternoon; with 62% of precincts reporting, these showed a narrow lead for Pete Buttigieg, with Bernie Sanders a close second. Elizabeth Warren came third, followed by Joe Biden in fourth--much to the surprise of many observers and even Biden staffers, who had not expected the former Vice-President to do so poorly.<ref>https://www.politico.com/news/2020/02/06/biden-iowa-campaign-111309</ref> More results trickled in over the next two days; while Warren, Biden, and other candidates did not change their relative positions, the gap between Buttigieg and Sanders narrowed considerably. As of Thursday, February 6, with 97% of precincts reporting, the actual winner of the caucus was still in doubt.

Late Monday night, the Iowa Democratic Party announced it would conduct a "quality control" on the vote count "out of an abundance of caution," and that announcement of the final results would be postponed. Partial results were not released until the following afternoon; with 62% of precincts reporting, these showed a narrow lead for Pete Buttigieg, with Bernie Sanders a close second. Elizabeth Warren came third, followed by Joe Biden in fourth--much to the surprise of many observers and even Biden staffers, who had not expected the former Vice-President to do so poorly.<ref>https://www.politico.com/news/2020/02/06/biden-iowa-campaign-111309</ref> More results trickled in over the next two days; while Warren, Biden, and other candidates did not change their relative positions, the gap between Buttigieg and Sanders narrowed considerably. As of Thursday, February 6, with 97% of precincts reporting, the actual winner of the caucus was still in doubt.