For years, prominent Iowa Republicans have hyped unfounded fears about “voter fraud.” So it’s ironic that yesterday, the state GOP attacked Brad Anderson’s proposal to help ensure that only eligible voters can take part in the Iowa caucuses.

Anderson is the Democratic nominee for secretary of state. After the jump I’ve posted his “caucus integrity” plan, including this idea: “Parties should be encouraged to utilize electronic poll book technology that would provide up-to-date lists and allow Iowans to check-in electronically. I believe the next Secretary of State should work with each of the parties to develop and support an affordable, efficient and effective electronic poll book that would allow caucus participants to easily check-in and allow volunteers to immediately confirm eligibility.”

I’ve also enclosed below an Iowa GOP press release. New Republican state party chair Jeff Kaufmann asserted, “Anderson’s plan is a problem in search of a solution. We must maintain the separation of politics and state.” Charlie Smithson, legal counsel for Iowa Secretary of State Matt Schultz since 2012, offered his opinion: “If government becomes involved with the caucus process, other states will argue that the caucuses have become the functional equivalent of a primary,” hurting Iowa’s efforts to remain first in the presidential nominating process.

That’s a real stretch. Anderson’s plan says straight away, “The caucuses are, and must remain strictly a party function run independently by the Republican Party of Iowa and the Iowa Democratic Party.” He hasn’t proposed involving county auditors or the Secretary of State’s office in setting caucus rules, or in tabulating or announcing Iowa caucus results. He’s talking about working with the parties ahead of time, so that on caucus night, they have tools to verify that only eligible voters residing in the precinct take part. Republicans could still hold their straw polls early in the evening, electing county delegates later, while Democrats maintain their system of dividing into preference groups, with a 15 percent threshold for viability in every precinct. Using a poll book for check-in wouldn’t change the fact that the Iowa Democratic Party announces only how many county convention delegates each candidate won, not raw numbers of caucus-goers who supported them.

If the Iowa caucuses ever produce another very close result, like the Republican outcome in 2012, any reports (credible or not) about ineligible voters taking part would boost the case for ditching Iowa as first in the nation. After the record-breaking Democratic caucus turnout in 2008, some people claimed that Barack Obama’s campaign had brought large numbers of supporters in from out of state. Although facts didn’t support those allegations, it would be easier to refute them if the parties had a better system for checking in caucus-goers.

Any relevant comments are welcome in this thread. UPDATE: Having worked in elections administration and volunteered at many Iowa caucuses, John Deeth explains how Anderson’s ideas could improve the check-in process on caucus night.

P.S.- I think Kaufmann meant to say that Anderson’s plan is a “solution in search of a problem.” Which is ironic, since he and Smithson have both lent their support to Matt Schultz’s photo ID crusade, the ultimate solution in search of a non-existent Iowa voter impersonation problem.  

From the “caucus integrity” section of the issues page on Anderson’s campaign website:

“I commend both parties for exploring ways to increase participation in the caucuses. I believe any caucus reforms should include measures to strengthen the integrity of the caucuses to further ensure only eligible Iowa voters are participating.  The technology exists to strengthen caucus integrity, shorten lines and modernize the check-in process, and the Secretary of State’s office can play a vital role in assisting the parties by providing technical support and quality data.  Given the record participation we saw in the caucuses in 2008, the time has come to utilize 21st Century innovation such as electronic poll books to accommodate the tremendous interest in the Iowa caucuses.” -Brad Anderson

The caucuses are, and must remain strictly a party function run independently by the Republican Party of Iowa and the Iowa Democratic Party.  This ensures we will maintain our special relationship with New Hampshire and our first in the nation status with the two national parties.

Although there is no formal role the state should play in the caucuses, given the importance of the caucuses in the nomination process, as well as to Iowa’s reputation and economy, there are ways the next Iowa Secretary of State can be supportive to keep Iowa first in the nation.

ANDERSON PLAN TO STRENGTHEN CAUCUS INTEGRITY AND KEEP IOWA FIRST IN THE NATION:

ENCOURAGE AND SUPPORT USE OF ELECTRONIC POLL BOOKS FOR CAUCUS CHECK-IN:  Strengthening the integrity of the caucuses should be a top priority for both parties.  In the age of Twitter, any perceived impropriety could be tweeted, re-tweeted and become viral in a matter of minutes.  Both parties should utilize 21st Century solutions to ensure only eligible caucus-goers are attending and participating in the process. The days of printing out reams of paper with outdated lists of eligible caucus-goers for volunteers to reference during the cumbersome check-in process must come to an end.  Parties should be encouraged to utilize electronic poll book technology that would provide up-to-date lists and allow Iowans to check-in electronically.  I believe the next Secretary of State should work with each of the parties to develop and support an affordable, efficient and effective electronic poll book that would allow caucus participants to easily check-in and allow volunteers to immediately confirm eligibility.  Utilizing existing technology to develop a caucus poll book will increase the speed of development and cut down on cost for the parties.

MAINTAIN OPEN DIALOGUE WITH NEW HAMPSHIRE SECRETARY OF STATE:  For decades Iowa has had a productive, working relationship with New Hampshire Secretary of State Bill Gardner.  Maintaining this relationship must be a priority for Iowa’s next Secretary of State.  As Iowa Republicans and Democrats search for ways to increase participation and strengthen the integrity of the process, we must continue to engage New Hampshire and the national parties to ensure the caucuses remain a true caucus and adhere to the spirit and guidelines of the nomination calendar.

Republican Party of Iowa press release, July 30:

Legal expert and Iowa GOP chair question Brad Anderson’s caucus plan involving the Secretary of State’s office

DES MOINES-Republican Party of Iowa chairman Jeff Kaufmann and a legal expert criticized a plan by Brad Anderson, a longtime Democratic operative running for Secretary of State, for suggesting that the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office should use its resources and staff time to muddle into the Iowa caucuses.

“Iowans of all political stripes expect the government to stay out of party politics,” Kaufmann said. “Anderson’s plan is a problem in search of a solution. We must maintain the separation of politics and state.”

Anderson’s plan says that “there is no formal role the state should play in the caucuses,” but he then he explains ways that the Secretary of State’s resources could be used on partisan political activity.

“Democrats are discussing various plans, sometimes behind closed doors, to change their party’s caucus process,” Kaufmann said. “Anderson’s idea is ill-advised, and I plan to discuss ways to protect Iowa’s first in the nation status with reasonable Democrats in the future.”

Kaufmann plans to meet with Iowa Democratic chairman Scott Brennan soon to transparently discuss ways for both parties to cooperate to ensure that Iowa’s precinct caucuses retain their historic status as the first test of presidential candidates’ strength.

Experts question Anderson’s plan to float a state role in the caucuses, which are internal party contests, particularly because of sensitivities to New Hampshire, whose Secretary of State Bill Gardner fiercely defends the “Live Free or Die” state’s first in the nation primary.

“It’s not appropriate for the Secretary of State’s office to play a role in the Iowa caucuses. The caucuses are governed by party rules as opposed to being regulated by the state,” said Charlie Smithson, legal counsel for the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office and an adjunct professor of election law at Drake University School of Law. “If government becomes involved with the caucus process, other states will argue that the caucuses have become the functional equivalent of a primary. That would create serious problems in Iowa maintaining its first in the nation status.”

Paid for by the Republican Party of Iowa and not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee.