Blame the system, not the party. We do not even register by party in Washington.
It is hard enough to get the results of an election we all you have to do is collect results from the Counties Auditors all using an unified and electronic/automated system.
Now try doing it while collecting results from thousands of precincts (many run by little old grandma), all paper, all hand counted. Precincts to County Party to State Party.
Not to mention this is a brand new thing for WA Republicans.
As a California Native I know the system for you is simple. Register as a Republican, Vote a Republican Ballot (Absentee, likely), let the State do the rest.
Here it is all volunteer all the time, completely grassroots and bottom up.
Go easy on Grandma and honor those who serve.
“It is hard enough to get the results of an election we all you have to do is collect results from the Counties Auditors all using an unified and electronic/automated system.
Now try doing it while collecting results from thousands of precincts (many run by little old grandma), all paper, all hand counted. Precincts to County Party to State Party.”
I’m sorry. Maybe I was a bit too harsh. While the counting of votes and passing them up the line seems pretty easy, I would guess that having not done a caucus before, dealing with congressional district lines and who’s vote counts where could be a bitch.
Presumably that’s why the GOP State Chairman is pretty sure McCain won, and why we have “87% Reporting” while not having any breakdown by county.