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The state party's phones were jammed.
州黨委的電話都被打爆了。
Users on the website 4chan had publicly posted the election hotline number and encouraged one another to "clog the lines."
4chan網站的用戶公布了選舉的熱線電話，還鼓勵大家一起“打爆熱線”。
The party's volunteer phone operators also had to deflect calls from television news reporters
擔任接線員的志愿者還要應付為了解投票結果已經打了數小時電話
in search of caucus results that were hours overdue.
的電視臺新聞記者的電話。
One floor below, representatives from the seven presidential campaigns competing in Iowa
參加愛荷華州競選的7個總統競選團隊的代表們在樓下與客服一層之隔的
waited in a room with no windows, no food, no water and no information.
一個沒有窗戶，沒有食物也沒有水的房間里焦急地等待著，他們也沒有收到任何信息。
They took turns trying to call state party officials in search of information.
為了解信息，他們嘗試輪流給州黨委的官員打電話。
On a conference call with the campaigns later that night, Mr. Price struggled to explain the information blackout.
當天晚些時候，在與競選團隊的電話會議中，普萊斯竭力跟代表們解釋信息封鎖的原因。
He said the problems stemmed from party officials having to collect three sets of data from all precincts for the first time.
他稱，問題出在民主黨官員們這次是第一次從選區收集三套而非一套投票數據。
"You always had to calculate these numbers, all we're asking is that you report them for the first time,"
“你們不是一直都需要統計這些數據嗎？我們只要求你們能匯報這次的數據，”
Jeff Weaver, Mr. Sanders's closest adviser, said he told Mr. Price on the call.
桑德斯最親密的顧問杰夫·韋弗稱他曾在電話中對普萊斯說道。
"If you haven't been calculating these numbers all along, it's been a fraud for 100 years."
“如果你們一直以來都沒有統計過這些數據，那愛荷華州這100年來的選舉就是一場騙局?！?/p>
Mr. Price ended the call.
普萊斯掛斷了電話。
As engineers scrambled to repair the app, panicked Iowa party leaders were making a choice.
就在工程師們慌亂地搶修軟件時，驚慌失措的愛荷華民主黨領導作了一個決定。
It was time, they decided, to abandon digital methods and rely on the old ways,
他們決定，是時候放棄數字統計回歸傳統，
gathering data over the phone and doing the math by hand — a decision that would open a whole new can of worms.
通過電話收集投票數據并人工計算投票數量了，然而，這個決定帶來的只是成堆的新問題。
Each precinct leader had 36 separate figures to report, along with two separate six-digit verification numbers —
原來，每個選區負責人都有36個獨立的數據要匯報，還有兩個獨立的6位數的驗證碼——
and there were more than 1,700 precincts, including the satellites.
而算上使用衛星投票的選區，整個愛荷華州有1700多個選區。
In the chaos, caucus results collected by phone operators were riddled with errors.
電話接線員們在一片混亂中搜集到的投票結果往往錯誤百出。
Dozens of the volunteers returned over the next three days to crosscheck them
接下來的三天里，數十名志愿者再次返崗幫忙核對投票數據，
and input results from caucus worksheets that came in by email or through the app.
輸入用郵件或是軟件發送的投票表的結果。
One was delivered days later by the Postal Service.
有一張用郵遞送回的投票表延遲了數天才被收到。
In the Times review of the data, at least 10 percent of precincts
《紐約時報》對投票數據的回顧顯示，根據匯報的投票總數來看，
appeared to have improperly allocated their delegates, based on reported vote totals.
至少有10%的選區疑似存在分配選舉代表名額分配不當的問題。
In some cases, precincts awarded more delegates than they had to give; in others, they awarded fewer.
一些選區分配的代表人數超過了他們應當分配的數量；一些又沒有達到應當分配的人數。
More than two dozen precincts appeared to give delegates to candidates who did not qualify as viable under the caucus rules.
還有超過24個選區疑似給根據投票規則并不具備擁有選舉代表名額的參選人分配了選舉代表名額。
Given the slim lead Mr. Buttigieg now holds over Mr. Sanders in state delegate equivalents,
鑒于皮特·布蒂吉格在該州的州代表對應值上僅略微領先桑德斯，
a full accounting of these inconsistencies could alter the outcome.
對這類不一致之處展開整體統計或將扭轉二人的勝負結果。
But without access to the precinct worksheets, it is difficult to determine whom the errors hurt or favored.
但若無法獲取選區的投票表，就很難確定那些失誤傷害或眷顧的究竟是哪一方。
As caucus night gave way to a week of finger-pointing,
投票之夜逐漸為接下來一周的互相指摘讓出了舞臺，
some local Democratic volunteers expressed anger at what they saw as efforts by national party officials to blame Iowa for the mess.
在民主黨的一些地方志愿者看來，中央黨委將此次混亂的責任歸結到了愛荷華州頭上，他們對此表示十分憤怒。
"The D.N.C.'s kind of hanging us out to dry," said Steve Drahozal, the Democratic chairman in Dubuque County.
“全國委員會分明就是在袖手旁觀，”迪伯克郡民主黨主席史蒂夫·德拉霍扎爾說。
"Instead of saying ‘Good job!' to the local volunteers, they're disrespecting a lot of grass-roots organizing that was done.
“他們不僅沒有肯定當地志愿者的付出，還不尊重他們所做的很多基層工作。
There are criticisms they can make, but this was an extremely smooth, well-organized caucus.
他們可以提出批評，但這次投票活動明明開展得非常順利，組織得也很好。
We just couldn't get the data reported."
我們只是沒有拿到最后的數據而已?！?/p>
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