Caucus chaos makes Utah last state to report Super Tuesday results

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — For the second time in a decade, a decision by the Utah Republican Party to select its presidential nominee through community caucus meetings instead of a traditional primary left many voters confused and frustrated as the nation waited until just after midnight for the state to unveil its results.

Utah’s Republican leaders are facing stiff blowback Wednesday after long lines and technology issues at some of the 2,300 neighborhood caucus locations made Utah the last of the 15 Super Tuesday states to release voting numbers.

The Associated Press ultimately called the state for former President Donald Trump at 1:39 a.m. — more than an hour after Alaska, which is two time zones behind Utah and was the only other state that held caucuses.

Neighbors gathered at schools and community centers to debate the candidates as a group before casting votes in a presidential preference poll that helped distribute Utah’s 40 delegates between Trump and GOP rival Nikki Haley, who suspended her campaign Wednesday after being soundly defeated across the country on Super Tuesday.

But the process meant to restore a sense of community in politics descended into chaos at several caucus locations, where voters such as Richard Preiss say they struggled to confirm their registration and were not given an opportunity to debate.

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