Iowa GOP caucus panel to meet in Cedar Rapids May 30

CEDAR RAPIDS – Iowa Republicans will continue their review of the 2012 precinct caucuses – what went right and what didn't – with a public hearing in Cedar Rapids May 30.

In addition to hearing from party members, the party-appointed Iowa Caucus Review Committee that will offer recommendations on how to improve the caucuses will hear from Iowa GOP Co-Chairman Bill Schickel about a poll of Republicans' attitudes about the caucuses.

In that poll, 79 percent of the 669 Republicans surveyed by the Republican Party of Iowa rated the accuracy of the caucus results as “good” or “excellent.” However, 68 percent rated the release of the caucus results to the public and media as “poor” or “fair.”

The party has to look at the mistakes that were made “acknowledge them, review them and fix them,” Schickel said.

The self-directed review was prompted by confusion over the winner of Iowa's first-in-the-nation precinct caucuses. Caucus-night results showed Mitt Romney winning by eight votes. However, two weeks later, after the results were certified, Rick Santorum was the winner by 34 votes.

The public hearing at 7 p.m. May 30 in the Amana Room of Iowa Hall at Kirkwood Community College, 6301 Kirkwood Blvd. SW, is the second in a series the party is conducting.

After hearing from the public, subcommittees will present their preliminary recommendations. The subcommittees are Public Information, Operations/Tabulation, and Training.

A third meeting is planned June 25 in Sioux City.