Will the Caucus states ever release the vote total numbers and why not?

[MattP]

I know it shouldn't matter but Obama will end up ahead if they would just release their numbers at the end of the process and end her argument and just because we know it doesn't matter doesn't mean the general public doesn't.

[Davis_X_Machina]

1. Because in many cases they don't exist?

In Maine, IIRC, the number of delegates and alternates pledged to each candidate chosen to go to state convention is what's reported -- that's the purpose of the caucus, after all -- but I'm not sure anyone keeps track of the number of bodies who make it to each caucus site, or reports it up the chain of command.

And in any case, it'd be the state Democratic Committee, not the Secretary of State's office, who would have such numbers. They'd be unofficial.

I'm not sure why they're supposed to be dispositive in any case. Caucuses aren't primaries.

[SoonerPride]

2. There is no such record in certain states because it is an irrelevant number.

Like counting how many people with blue eyes vote for person X or keeping track of voters that drive a Toyota prefer candidate Y.

Who cares?

Someone might keep tabs on that kind of thing, but it is a meaningless metric in the Democratic nomination process, and in particular, it is of no matter in caucus states.

There is no popular vote.

Period.

[EFerrari]

3. Obama is ahead. The "popular vote" is a fake number.

Or, maybe that should be, an imaginary number.

[Yotun]

4. Even if they did it would be meaningless. Popular vote is an illogical metric due to the

discrepancies in turnouts in primaries and caucuses. You cannot count national support through popular votes, only inter-state support. Inter-state support is converted into pledged delegates to make up for the popular vote discrepancies. Thats why pledged delegates exist in the first place.

[yewberry]

5. We don't have them.

I suppose it's technically possible that someone could actually go through the precinct-by-precinct sign-in, but why would they? It would be a massive undertaking with no real purpose.