Minnesota Legislature considering move to presidential primary system

Minnesota legislators are edging closer to switching the state to a presidential primary for the 2020 election, a rare flash of bipartisan accord during a session marked by sometimes deep divides.

It would be the first time since the days of Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush that Minnesotans could vote in a primary — rather than a caucus — to select the candidate they want to represent their party in the presidential race.

"The goal is to enhance participation at all levels and throughout the state," Sen. Ann Rest, DFL-New Hope told lawmakers this week.

Legislators are debating the move following crowded and chaotic caucuses March 1. Voters weathered long lines, overflowing parking lots and crammed classrooms to cast their ballots for who they wanted to represent their party in the presidential race.

Rest recalled how 300 people showed up to one precinct location in a junior high school classroom with just 30 desks. She said she wants to help the people who couldn't find parking, hire a babysitter, or make the narrow window of time to vote.

GOP and DFL leaders have backed the party-led caucus system, which requires thousands of volunteers that political parties can then mobilize during the campaign.

Switching to a primary would allow voters an entire day to swing by their polling place to vote, making it more convenient and accessible.

Gov. Mark Dayton and both parties have been amenable to making the shift, and supporters say a separate primary day would make the system more acccessible to a greater number of Minnesotans.

The move is expected to shrink caucus attendance to people with a more active interest in the DFL and Republican organizations, easing the bottleneck caused by a broader voting population coming to cast a presidential preference ballot.

Rep. Tim Sanders, R-Blaine, who is sponsoring the legislation in the House, said that many of the people who showed up at this year's caucuses wanted only to vote for a presidential nominee.

Holding the caucuses separately "right-sizes it," he said. "The people who want to be involved in the local party at the grass roots level now have more of a clear opportunity to be involved."

Similar measures have failed in recent years, particularly as angst over long lines fades from public memory.

This year's session is unusually brief and is bogged down with election-year conflicts over taxes, transportation funding and a borrowing package for statewide projects.

With the brief legislative session rife with partisan conflicts over taxes, transportation funding and other matters, Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk, DFL-Cook suggested last week that passing legislation to move Minnesota to a presidential primary system is a priority.

"I think that's not controversial... there shouldn't be a disagreement about that," he said.

Minnesota has gone back and forth between holding presidential primaries and caucuses, but last had a presidential primary in 1992.

Both have their advantages and shortcomings.

It is not clear that primaries dramatically increase turnout, especially at a time when many voters aren't yet tuned into the presidential race. Minnesota's 1992 presidential primary had a turnout of 337,158, or 10.4 percent of registered voters, according to the Secretary of State's office. The most recent caucuses drew more than 315,000 people, about 8 percent of voters.

Switching will require the Secretary of State to oversee the primary, much like an election.

Secretary of State Steve Simon estimated the move would cost $4 million to $6 million. He noted that one reason the state dropped the presidential primary after 1992 was due to complaints from towns and counties about the cost.

Simon told legislators that the move "is worth pursuing if it means more access and more opportunities for eligible Minnesotans to vote."

Simon said there are upsides to both caucuses and primaries.

Rest said she had been working with chairs of the both parties, along with the legislative leadership.