Primary to replace caucuses?

Posted 3/24/16

Wyoming’s Republicans and Democrats currently weigh in on their party’s presidential nominee through caucuses, which are more complicated than primary elections; the Republican Party’s process is particularly complex and has recently come …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

E-mail
Password
Log in

Primary to replace caucuses?

Posted

State lawmakers plan to study whether Wyoming would be better off scrapping its caucus systems and creating a primary election on presidential nominees.

Wyoming’s Republicans and Democrats currently weigh in on their party’s presidential nominee through caucuses, which are more complicated than primary elections; the Republican Party’s process is particularly complex and has recently come under fire from people who want a more direct say on the GOP’s nominee.

Many in the large crowd of Republicans who showed up for the March 1 caucuses in Cody left disappointed that they didn’t get a chance to vote for the candidate of their choice.

Sen. Hank Coe, R-Cody, said he’s heard similar discontent was expressed in other places, including Casper and Cheyenne.

“I think the primary process would be a good change for Wyoming,” Coe said at the March 12 Park County Republican Convention in Cody. He encouraged those at the convention to get involved in an upcoming legislative study of the process.

Several Republicans there criticized the current setup.

“I think it’s totally unfair and unbalanced that Wyoming’s primary election is in August,” said Geri Hockhalter, a former chair of the Park County Republican Party. “The president has essentially been elected before we even get to primary.”

Wyoming voters don’t actually cast a ballot on the presidential race until November’s general election.

Former U.S. Sen. Al Simpson of Cody — who also served more than a decade in the Wyoming Legislature — said the state’s primary was initially moved back to August as an attempt to limit the influence of the Wyoming Education Association, which “was always cutting the Republican Party to shreds.”

Simpson said some people came up with the idea to move the election to August, when all the teachers were on vacation.

“It was madness; it makes no sense,” Simpson said. “I hope they change it.”

Wyoming actually had a special presidential primary election until 1974. That’s when the state-run elections were scrapped in favor of the party-run caucuses to try saving money and boosting turnout, Wyoming Republican Party Chairman Matt Micheli said he’s been told.

The plan that the Republican Party came up with was intended to make the party’s leadership posts and conventions more meaningful.

“The system in place makes sense as a vehicle to help build the party and encourage participation. There are real benefits to that,” Micheli wrote in an email read aloud at this month’s GOP convention. “However, we have seen distrust of the establishment grow over the years and really reach a tipping point this year. People don’t like that insiders, or a select group of people, get to control things.”

“I think this is really the question: A system that rewards party participation or a system that lets voters show up and cast a vote for president,” Micheli said.

The Legislature’s Joint Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Interim Committee plans to study various voting options throughout this year.

Democrats start their caucus process — which is not as indirect as the Republicans’ process — on April 9. Voters must be registered as Democrats by Friday to participate.

Comments