The officials attributed the delay partly to inconsistencies in the reporting of results and stressed that it wasn’t because of hacking. We’ve pieced together the events that led up to what one former state Democratic official called “a systemwide disaster.”

The details: When the results are released, find them here.

What’s next: Two of our reporters in Des Moines noted, “With no hard numbers to reckon with, no cold math to disprove the dream, no fewer than five candidates marched onstage to deliver something resembling a victory speech.”

Background: After a razor-close finish in Iowa between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders in 2016, new standards this year required officials to submit three numbers — rather than one — from each of the state’s 1,600-plus precincts. That change, and a new app, slowed the reporting of results.

Closer look: People who were briefed on the app by the Iowa Democratic Party told The Times that it hadn’t been tested properly. A spokeswoman for the state party denied that the app’s failure had played a role in the delays.

The Daily: Today’s episode is about the confusion.

Catch up: Here’s a primer on how Iowa’s first-in-the-nation nominating contest works.