Minnesota to Move to Primaries?

After the mayhem and confusion of the Minnesota caucuses on Super Tuesday, Minnesota lawmakers are considering holding primaries instead. Countless voters were disenfranchised by the slim hour and half window, 6:30 to 8, to cast their vote on a Tuesday night. Democratic State Senator Dan Larson, the legislator proposing the change, had this to say about the idea of switching:

Given the fact that we had such overwhelming turnout, and so many people were disenfranchised or found it difficult to vote within the system because of traffic or because of accessibility or because they had to work during that one and a half hour period, I think that outweighs the desire to want to walk in and sub-caucus for president.

While turnout was four times as high as it was four years ago, think about how much larger it could have been if voters had all day to vote. Furthermore, it would give people who may be out of state, like my dad (not pictured above voting for Obama because we have caucuses) was on February 4th, to cast an absentee ballot, an obvious necessity for elections. According to the bill, while there would be presidential primaries, caucuses for state and local candidates would also be held. Apparently the bill also includes measures that would end up saving the state money.

Lawmakers debate if Minn. should move to a primary system – [Minnesota Public Radio]