GOP chair: Action on Iowa caucus changes unlikely until 2015

CEDAR RAPIDS - New Republican Party of Iowa Chairman Jeff Kaufmann anticipates meeting with his Democratic counterpart to discuss proposed changes to Iowa's first-in-the-nation caucuses, but doubts they will take action until early next year.

Kaufmann said he's discussed the changes proposed by the Iowa Democratic Party with its chairman, Scott Brennan, but is withholding judgment until he has time to study the proposals as well as recommendations from a GOP study of the caucus process.

Kaufmann pledged Wednesday to stand 'shoulder-to-shoulder” with Iowa Democrats to protect the state's first-in-the-nation status.

'The most important job we have other than winning elections is keeping our first-in-the-nation status,” Kaufmann said Wednesday. 'In fact, if anything, I would say that is coequal.”

Although the party leaders are pledging cooperation, Democratic Chairman Scott Brennan said it won't be clear whether the parties will take joint action until they've met.

'We would hope Iowa Republicans would join us,” Brennan said, 'because the more we can do jointly, the more successful we are likely to be.”

Democrats have outlined a series of changes to the precinct caucuses that they believe will address criticisms that the caucus system limits participation. The changes could address specific concerns raised by potential 2016 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, who complained after her third-place finish in the 2008 Iowa caucuses that active-duty military personnel and second-shift workers did not get to take part.

Republicans did a similar review of the caucuses after being embarrassed by announcing Mitt Romney as the winner on caucus night, but learning after certifying the results that Rick Santorum had received more votes at precinct caucuses.

Kaufman has had conversations with Republican officials in New Hampshire to discuss joint efforts to preserve the first-in-the-nation primary and Iowa's caucuses from encroachment by other states.

They are planning a meeting with New Hampshire's Democratic secretary of state, 'who I understand has a no-nonsense, take no prisoners” position on the first-in-the-nation primary, Kaufmann said.

'We're going to be working very carefully with New Hampshire and I have the pledge from New Hampshire Republicans to stand with us as well,” he said.

FYI

The Iowa Democratic Party's proposed changes include:

' Allowing people to petition for a satellite caucus site, a move aimed at accommodating those such as second-shift workers who might not be able to get away from work to participate. For example, if a worker at a factory, meeting yet-to-be-determined criteria, wants to petition for a site at his workplace, a satellite location could be set up.

' Expanding the use of child care during the caucuses. Some counties already provide child care, but the state party said it would work with county parties to expand the practice.

' The state party would create a statewide precinct for Iowans serving in the military to participate by telephone. It would function the same as a regular caucus site, the party says.

' Hire an accessibility director.

The Republican Party of Iowa proposed changes include:

' Requiring that all statewide results on caucus night be reported to all media and other interested parties at the same time.

' Declining to declare a winner on caucus night if the uncertified results show the first- and second-place finishers within a 1-percentage-point margin.

' Requiring certified results to be completed within 72 hours of the caucuses to ensure an official winner is declared ahead of the New Hampshire primary.

' Investigating the feasibility of determining official results on caucus night using electronic vote tabulation and results reporting.