2016 Postmortem
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Caucuses should be eliminated because
- they depress turn out by making it harder to vote; many people can not take the time out from work to participate and they also make it harder for the physically challenged or non-ambulatory to vote
-there is no secret ballot and the secret ballot is the sine qua non of democracy; one should be able to vote free from fear of reprisals or retaliations.
- they are subject to the rule of the mob where quieter voices are ignored
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-none
(1,884 posts)Every eligible voter gets to vote. If they are eligible to vote in the General Election, they are eligible to vote in the primary of their choice.
MineralMan
(146,395 posts)use secret balloting. The argument, though, that they don't accurately sample the voting public still stands, so I'm buying this.
LWolf
(46,179 posts)Since I've never participated in a caucus, I don't feel like I should weigh in.
Personally, I lean towards elimination, for the reasons you mentioned. I'd like every single election to be hand-counted, paper ballots. I LOVE the vote by mail system in my state, which delivers my voting pamphlet a month ahead of time, and my ballot a few weeks ahead of time, giving me plenty of time to research whatever is going to be on that ballot, and to take my time, think, and vote in the comfort of my own home with no lines, no traveling, no polling place. My home is my polling place. I don't have to manipulate work, child care, or other schedules to make sure I can get to a polling place while it's open. I return the ballot with the cost of a stamp, which is cheaper than the gas to drive to a polling place. Or, if I spent extra time and I'm not sure it's going to arrive on time, I drop it off in a drop box on my way to work; again, no lines, no extra trips, no having to squeeze voting into tight schedules.
bigwillq
(72,790 posts)Maru Kitteh
(28,369 posts)single moms, disabled, etc.
Let states continue to decide for themselves if they wish to have open primaries, etc. No more than 30 days should be required ahead of the primary to switch your registration.