They may have found one but technical difficulties made reporting his or her name a major problem.

“We found inconsistencies in the reporting of three major sets of results,” said Iowa Democratic Part Communications Director Mandy McClure at 10:26 p.m. “In addition to the tech systems being used to tabulate results, we are also using photos of results and a paper trail to validate that all results match and ensure that we have confidence and accuracy in the numbers we report. This is simply a reporting issue, the app did not go down and this is not a hack or an intrusion. The underlying data and paper trail is sound and will simply take time to further report the results.”

CNN reported Shawn Sebastian, a precinct secretary in Story County, was live on CNN as he simultaneously sat on hold with the Iowa Democrats, attempting to report his county’s results.

Just a moment into his call to CNN, the party picked up — and then the line got disconnected.

Republicans of Marshalltown listen to state legislative candidate Tony Reed on Monday during the caucus at the Marshalltown High School.

“I have been on hold for over an hour with the Iowa Democratic Party,” he told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer. He said that they first tried to use an app, but that didn’t work. They then turned to a hotline.

“We’ve been recommended to call in to the hotline, and the hotline has not been responsive,” he said.

Regardless, of the 12 candidates on the ballot, three were hoping to break away from the pack and carry that momentum into next week’s New Hampshire primary.

Various Iowa Caucus forecasting services predicted in advance Sanders would be the winner taking slightly more than 20 percent of the vote, Biden a close second with 19 percent-plus and former South Bend, Ind. mayor Pete Buttigieg third at nearly 17 percent.

In Marshall County, Democrats met at 19 sites ranging from Anson Elementary School Gym in Marshalltown to the Le Grand Community Center to the West Marshall High School Cafeteria in State Center.

On Monday night, the Marshall County Republican Party Chair Reed Riskedahl explains the caucus process to attendees in his precinct.

Wearing a bright blue Bernie Sanders shirt, Kathryn Lake left no doubt who she was supporting at the Marshalltown Public Library.

“I am supporting Sen. Sanders because he has been consistent,” she said. “He has been consistent for more than 40 years he has been in public office. He was for women’s reproductive rights in 1969. And he has maintained that stand. He is for the people. Always.”

An ethnically diverse crowd of 84 made up of Caucasians, Latinos and Asians turned out at the library.

Sanders qualified for five delegates there, while Biden earned two and non-committed also earned two.

Jeff Kooser caucused for Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, who did not earn a delegate.

Zach Tomesch of Marshalltown waits patiently for the first alignment count to finish. He chose to support Bernie Sanders because of the candidate’s consistency in stances during the years.

“I still believe she is the best candidate,” he said. “A lot of our supporters joined the uncommitted camp.”

Roughly 135 people gathered at the Midnight Ballroom to participate in the caucuses. After the first alignment, four candidates were found to be viable – Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. Candidates were viable if they had at least 21 people supporting them. The other candidates, such as Michael Bennet and Andrew yang, did not garner enough support, so the people who had gathered for them were then given the choice to choose another candidate out of the viable options.

Terry Gray was the precinct assistant captain for Buttigieg.

“I like his youth, his moderate stance on a lot of policies, his vision for unifying the country which he talks about a lot,” Gray said. “He is a veteran and proud of it. I like that he can speak so well to so many people and include everyone in the process.”

Just mere feet away from the Buttigieg camp was a gathering of people in support of Sanders.

T-R PHOTO BY LANA BRADSTREAM Terry Gray of Marshalltown laughs with Pete Buttigieg supporters. She served as a precinct assistant captain for Buttigieg at the Democratic caucus at the Midnight Ballroom on Monday.

Zach Tomesch, 26, said he was supporting the independent senator from Vermont because his messages have not changed.

“I like his Medicare for all. Health insurance is a big topic,” Tomesch said. “I like that he wants to raise the minimum wage and these are things he’s been preaching about for a long time. I think he has a chance to win this time. He should have won last time.”

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Contact Mike Donahey at 641-753-6611 or mdonahey@timesrepublican.com

Steve and Ruth Lycke of rural Green Mountain sign in at the precinct caucus for Republicans in Marion and Vienna township being held at the shelter house in the Green Mountain Community Park.

T-R photo by Chuck Friend Ed Myers and Jaleene Primus are seen as they enter the GMG Elementary school in Green Mountain for the Democratic Caucus.

T-R PHOTO BY MIKE DONAHEY Sen. Bernie Sanders supporters gather to determine delegate count during caucus proceedings in DeJardin Hall at Marshalltown Community College.

T-R photo by Chuck Friend Candidate lines didn’t matter before the caucus in Green Mountain as precinct captains from the Biden and Buttigieg campaigns converse.

T-R PHOTO BY MIKE DONAHEY Kathryn Lake, left, and Sally Wilson tally delegate numbers at the Marshalltown Public Library.

T-R PHOTO BY MIKE DONAHEY A Biden campaign observer looks on while Biden supporters sign caucus pledge cards.

T-R PHOTO BY MIKE DONAHEY Sen. Bernie Sanders supporters gather to determine delegate count during caucus proceedings in DeJardin Hall at Marshalltown Community College.

T-R PHOTO BY MIKE DONAHEY Tyler Matthews and daughter Clara Matthews caucused for Sen. Sanders at DeJardin Hall.