So why is Joni Ernst gathering information about recount procedures a week and a half before the election?

Courtesy of TPM:  

Iowa state Sen. Joni Ernst (R) this week requested materials on recount procedures, signaling that she might be gearing up for a recount request in the Iowa Senate race against Rep. Bruce Braley (D-IA). 

Ernst filed open records requests in multiple counties for training materials, satellite voting locations, names of ballot counters, recount procedures and any thing also sent to Braley, The Gazette reported. 

Such a large record request so close to an election is unusual for candidates, multiple Iowa auditors told The Gazette. 

"I think they’re gearing up for a recount," Johnson County Auditor Travis Weipert said.

Okay well there are two ways to take this.

One is that the Ernst campaign is thinking proactively with an abundance of caution.

Or that they expect to lose and like many recent GOP candidates will simply refuse to accept defeat until they have exhausted all possible challenges?

Yeah I am going to go with the latter.