Nevada Republicans angry at caucus chaos

Liz Goodwin
·Senior National Affairs Reporter
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People stand in line waiting for the doors to open for the Nevada Republican presidential caucus at Western High School in Las Vegas. (Photo: David Becker/Reuters)

LAS VEGAS — Long lines. Not enough ballots. Reports of double voting. Tuesday’s Republican caucus in Nevada was plagued with irregularities, after a high turnout overwhelmed the notoriously disorganized system.

At one voting site in Valley High School in Las Vegas, caucus-goers wandered around in confusion, asking each other if anyone worked there.

“They said someone will come. No one has come,” one woman said sadly.

“This is very overwhelming and very disorganized,” her neighbor agreed.

Slideshow: The GOP battle for votes in Nevada >>>

The Republican caucus system changed this year, so that voters could show up to sites, cast their ballots and go home. Previously, they were required to listen to speeches and elect delegates before casting their votes. This change only added to the confusion.

“What is the caucus and where is the caucus?” asked Ivan Kovacic, a Ted Cruz supporter who wandered into a near-empty theater in the high school holding his ballot. Kovacic was disappointed that he was expected to vote and just leave.

“Nobody knows nothing, and that’s what’s irritating,” said Carroll Enrich, a Trump supporter who had waited an hour for help finding out which precinct she should cast her ballot in.

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Voters line up for a Republican caucus at Durango High School in Las Vegas. (Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

“This is the first one I’ve been to, and it’ll probably be the last,” her friend CJ added.

A Republican Party official told Jon Ralston Tuesday night that the party would be “reviewing ballots” after reports of double voting in at least one precinct. The official also added that more ballots were quickly brought to precincts when they ran out.

At Valley High School, the lone party official on site weathered hostile comments and even cursing from audience members once the delegate election process finally began. “I apologize for the process,” said Robin Roberts. “I just got this job yesterday.”

The long lines and confusion suggest results might come in very late Tuesday night, if at all. In 2012, it took party officials three days to count 33,000 votes.