One could make the argument that the Smoke Filled rooms of yore...

[WCGreen]

were populated by "people who care" about the election to take the time to show up...

But really now, the caucus system is much better than a mess of "insiders" gathering in some backroom to make a deal...

Seriously, in Washington state, a state that claims over 3.3 million registered voters held a caucus today...

I looked for about twenty minutes and couldn't find the number of registered democrats but I guess that doesn't mean all that much since Washington is, from what I gather, an open caucus state...

It's getting late for me...

Anyway, even if there were over 1 million registered democratic voters and only about 34k gathered together in smoke free rooms today to select a candidate, isn't that just a few steps above the old way were party insiders gathered in rooms to select a candidate...

Large steps, I will grant you but still...

It is really a small circle of friends and insiders who do the selecting...


I like the way we do things here in Cuyahoga County...

We elect precinct committee persons who then elect a ward leader and members to the Executive Committee...

The Ward leaders screen candidates for every office and make a recommendation to endorse or not endorse a candidate...

Then the candidate's name is placed before the executive committee for a party endorsement...

If the party executive committee agrees to the Ward Leaders suggestion, by a 60% threshold, then the party stands behind the slate of candidates for the primary...

Ultimately, the registered voters of Cuyahoga County have the say in who gets to represent the party on the ballot in November...

Anyway, it isn't by far a fool proof system....

Various factions always put up candidates for the various offices...

But they have been thwarted more times than they would care to admit..

Still, I like the primary system the best...

The most people get to vote...

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. And these facts are why the majority of the country

Votes via the primary system...

But I guess historically, the caucus has held on because the folks using it, like it...

:shrug:

[WCGreen]

2. A small circle of friends...

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. Of course...as you said...