Lyndon Scott, 4, shows his support of all the candidates at the Democratic caucus in Kalona.

James Jennings

There was some confusion among Democratic caucus goers regarding the procedures for Monday’s caucus at Mid-Prairie Middle School in Kalona, but in the end, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont came out on top locally.

The confusion came after presidential preference cards were handed out to voters, who were grouped with their preferred candidates.

Some people were not clear as to whether they were supposed to fill out both first and second choices on the two-sided cards.

Precinct Chairman Roger Weber announced that there were 169 eligible participants at the Kalona caucus, setting the 15% level of viability at 26 supporters.

The preference cards were handed out, and Weber gave voters 15 minutes before the first alignment numbers would be announced.

That brought more confusion when some people started moving to other groups to campaign for their preferred candidate once it was clear that at least three candidates – Joe Biden, Andrew Yang and Tom Steyer – would not be viable.

Because the first alignment numbers had not yet been announced, voters were told they must return to their candidate groups until a determination of viability was made.

The first alignment count was as follows: Sanders 47, Elizabeth Warren 37, Amy Klobuchar 29, Pete Buttigieg 27, Steyer 12, Biden 11 and Yang 6.

Biden, Yang and Steyer were declared to be unviable, and the race was on to woo the supporters of those candidates.

While some voters chose to go directly to the unviable camps to try to persuade voters to change sides, a handful of others stepped to the microphone to speak in favor of their candidate to the entire caucus.

The Klobuchar camp had the most success, picking up 11 votes, while Buttigieg gained eight votes.

Warren gained six votes, while Sanders picked up one. Three voters chose not to move to another candidate.

Weber announced the final tally and number of delegates awarded to each remaining candidate:

• Sanders, 48 votes, three delegates.

• Warren, 43 votes, two delegates.

• Klobuchar, 40 votes, two delegates.

• Buttigieg, 35 votes, two delegates.

Each camp chose delegates and alternates to attend the March 21 Washington County Democratic Convention.

In Wellman, Sanders and Klobuchar each won three delegates, while Buttigieg took two, and Biden earned one delegate.

In Riverside, Sanders, Klobuchar and Warren each won two delegates, while Biden won one.

Overall in Washington County, Sanders earned 20 delegates, Warren took 15 delegates, Klobuchar won 13 delegates, Buttigieg grabbed 12 delegates, and Biden picked up 10 delegates.